Implementation of Mind-Body Practices in an Online Community of Caring (CaringBridge)
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Completed
- Sponsor
- University of Minnesota
- Enrollment
- 979
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Change in Perceived Stress: The Perceived Stress Scale
Study Overview
Brief Summary
CaringBridge (CB) is an online health community for people undergoing challenging health journeys. This platform provides an opportunity for individuals and their caregivers to rally support for a loved-one during a health journey. CaringBridge offers the opportunity for expressive writing through journal entries, wellbeing resources, participant health journey stories, and practical scheduling and communication tools to support community, healing, and wellbeing. Loving Kindness Meditation (LKM) is a systemized mind-body approach developed to increase loving acceptance and has been shown to increase resilience in the face of adversity. The aim of this study is to better understand how mind-body practices, like LKM, impact adult CB users
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Sequential
- Primary Purpose
- Supportive Care
- Masking
- None
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to — (Adult, Older Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- •English literacy
- •CaringBridge user with an active email address
- •Visitor/Caregiver/Patient on a Cancer Journey (for Phase 2 only)
Exclusion Criteria
- Not provided
Arms & Interventions
Immediate Intervention
Those in the immediate intervention arm will begin the LovingKindess Meditation practice upon enrollment.
Intervention: LovingKindess Meditation (Behavioral)
Delayed Intervention
Those in the deferred intervention arm will commence the LovingKindness Meditation practice intervention approximately 3 weeks (post 3 -week survey) after enrollment and participate three weeks thereafter.
Intervention: LovingKindess Meditation (Behavioral)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Change in Perceived Stress: The Perceived Stress Scale
Time Frame: 3 weeks
The Perceived Stress Scale is a 10-item scale for measuring one's perception of stress. All 10 items are assessed by asking how often a respondent felt a certain way on a 5-point Likert measure (0 = Never; 4 = Very Often), with a minimum score of 0 and a maximum score of 40. Higher total scores indicate greater perceived stress. This will be assessed at baseline and week three, in addition to week six for the deferred arm.
Secondary Outcomes
- Change in Compassionate Love: The Compassionate Love for Humanity Scale(3 weeks)
- Change in Social Support: The Social Assurance Scale(3 weeks)
- Change in Social Support: The Social Connectedness Scale(3 weeks)
- Change in Self-Compassion: The Self-Compassion Scale(3 weeks)