Abstract
Abstract
Background
The worldwide prevalence of anxiety in older adults is estimated at between 6 and 10%. In Canada, adults 65 and older experience anxiety at a rate of 6.4%, affecting more than 300,000 people. Anxiety in older adults has been linked to difficulties retaining new information and engaging in instrumental daily activities of living. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, novel methods of delivering therapy programs remotely are needed; however, data is limited. There is some evidence that older adults prefer non-pharmacological approaches for anxiety that can be delivered in the community. Emotion-focused mindfulness therapy (EFMT) is a mindfulness-based intervention that emphasizes meditation and observing thoughts and emotions as they arise. This emphasis has been demonstrated to reduce symptoms of anxiety in general populations. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of EFMT with older adults.
Methods
This pilot feasibility randomized controlled trial will use a wait list control trial design. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we will use telehealth delivery via Zoom rather than in-person delivery. The first 48 people to meet the eligibility criteria will be randomly allocated to either receive EFMT immediately, or in approximately 8 weeks time from enrollment (1:1 allocation ratio). Data will be collected at baseline, 8 weeks following baseline, and 16 weeks following baseline. The primary outcomes will determine the feasibility of the intervention based on recruitment, enrolment, retention, and adherence to all components of the intervention. The secondary outcome will be changes to anxiety over time.
Discussion
The results of this trial will determine the feasibility and potential effectiveness of video-delivered EFMT for late-life anxiety compared to no treatment. If the results are promising, a larger randomized controlled trial may be conducted.
Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04415528. Registered on June 4, 2020
Protocol version
Protocol version 2, January 2, 2021
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Reference75 articles.
1. Schuurmans J, Van Balkom A. Late-life anxiety disorders: a review. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2011;13:267–73.
2. Roser M, Ritchie H. Burden of disease OurWorldInData. 2020. org; 2016.
3. Bland P. Tackling anxiety and depression in older people in primary care. Pract. 2012;256(1747):17–20.
4. Coryell W, Endicott J, Winokur G. Syndromes as epiphenomena of primary major depression: outcome and familial psychopathology. Am J Psychiatry. 1992;149(1):100–7. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.149.1.100.
5. DeLuca AK, Lenze EJ, Mulsant BH, Butters MA, Karp JF, Dew MA, et al. Comorbid anxiety disorder in late life depression: association with memory decline over four years. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2005;20(9):848–54. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.1366.
Cited by
5 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献，注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献，订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献