A Pilot Study on an ACT-Based Program for Individuals With Special Needs and Their Caregivers
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorThe University of Hong Kong
About this trial
Parenting children with special health care needs can be stressful and weigh on the caregivers' mental health. For the individuals with special needs, the mismatch between their needs and the normative practice in the world around them can be frustrating and detrimental to their functioning. The demands and concerns to these families can be so real that it may not be sensible to examine the validity or helpfulness of the distressing thoughts or feelings but to promote psychological flexibility, which is a key to value-guided living. This pilot study explores the effects and feasibility of a group-based intervention for families of individuals with special health care needs.
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
be at or older than 18 years old
understand Cantonese
read as well as write Chinese
Disqualifiers
with borderline or greater intellectual deficits
weak language abilities
severe conditions related to mental, emotional, and/or behavioral functioning
Trial design
Design model
Single group
Treatments tested in this trial
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
BehavioralAcceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a well-established and evidence-based psychotherapy for individuals at different ages and with different clinical needs. The protocol used in the current study is adapted from an established local group intervention and tailored to families of individuals with special health care needs.
Treatment groups
62 Participants
are divided into 1 treatment groupGroup A: TreatmentExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Change from Baseline in Psychological Flexibility as Measured by the Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory
Score on psychological flexibility is the sum of scores across items
Time frame
From baseline (T0) to two (T1), four (T2), and six (T3; post-intervention) weeks into treatment2
Change from Baseline in Psychological Inflexibility as Measured by the Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory
Score on psychological inflexibility is the sum of scores across items
Time frame
From baseline (T0) to two (T1), four (T2), and six (T3; post-intervention) weeks into treatment3
Change from Baseline in Psychological Well-being as Measured by the 5-Item World Health Organization Well-being Index
Score on psychological well-being is the sum of scores across items
Time frame
From baseline (T0) to two (T1), four (T2), and six (T3; post-intervention) weeks into treatment4
Change from Baseline in Parenting Stress as Measured by the Parenting Stress Scale
Score on parenting stress is the sum of scores across items
Time frame
From baseline to six weeks into treatmentSecondary outcomes
1
Change from Baseline in Child Externalizing as Measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
Score on externalizing is the sum of scores across items
Time frame
From baseline to six weeks into treatment (i.e., post-intervention)2
Change from Baseline in Child Internalizing as Measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
Score on externalizing is the sum of scores across items
Time frame
From baseline to six weeks into treatment (i.e., post-intervention)3
Participants' Satisfaction with the Intervention Program
Eight items on a 5-point Likert scale are designed specifically for this study to assess participants' experience with the treatment program.
Time frame
Six-week into treatment (i.e., post-intervention)4
Participants' Personal Narratives on Their Experience with the Intervention Program
Both open-ended text items and interviews are utilized to invite participants' sharing of their experiences throughout the treatment
Time frame
Within six weeks after completing the treatmentSponsors and contacts
Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.
The University of Hong Kong
Lead sponsor
The Salvation Army, Hong Kong and Macau Command
Collaborator
Source ClinicalTrials.gov