In-Person Versus eHealth Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Adolescents With Chronic Illness: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial
Nicholas Chadi, Miriam E. Kaufman, Elli Weisbaum, Catherine Malboeuf-Hurtubise, Sara Ahola Kohut, Christine Viner, Jake Locke, Dzung X Vo
JMIR Research Protocols November 27, 2017 DOI: 10.2196/resprot.7700 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized noninferiority mixed methods study (protocol) Qualitative Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Adolescents aged 13 to 18 years with a diagnosis of a chronic medical condition, living close enough to the recruitment hospital to attend the in-person arm, and currently followed by a health care provider |
| Intervention | delivered in person or via eHealth |
| Duration | 8-week intervention; data analysis expected winter and spring 2018 |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 16 |
| Registration | NCT03067207 |
| Key points | The paper outlines a randomized noninferiority trial testing whether an 8-week mindfulness-based intervention delivered via eHealth is as effective as in-person delivery for adolescents with chronic illness. The authors anticipate that both modes will improve mindfulness skills, mood, anxiety, self-esteem, illness perception, and stress, with effects correlated to home practice, and that both will show high feasibility and acceptability. If successful, the trial could support eHealth delivery to increase access for youth with mobility issues or those living away from urban centers. |
Abstract
Background: Eight-week mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have a beneficial impact on mental health and well-being in adolescents with chronic health conditions. Usually delivered in person in a group setting, these programs are difficult to access for teens with disabilities or who do not have in-person MBIs available in their communities.
Objective: This paper outlines the rationale, development, and design of a randomized controlled trial comparing the effects of an MBI delivered in person or via eHealth in adolescents with a chronic illness. Quantitative outcomes will include mindfulness skills acquisition (primary outcome), effects of the MBI on self-reported mood, anxiety, self-esteem, illness perception, and physiological stress (via salivary cortisol), and qualitative outcomes will include individual practice, participant appreciation, and adaptation of the MBI for eHealth.
Methods: This is a randomized noninferiority mixed methods study comparing 2 MBI arms: in-person and eHealth. Participants are eligible to participate if they are aged 13 to 18 years, have a diagnosis of chronic medical condition, live close enough to the recruitment hospital to participate in the in-person arm of the study, and are currently followed by a health care provider. Each participant will receive an adapted 8-week MBI delivered either in person at a tertiary pediatric hospital or via a secure audio-visual platform allowing group interactions in real time. Groups will be facilitated by 2 experienced mindfulness providers. Quantitative and qualitative data will be collected through standardized research questionnaires administered via a secure, youth-friendly online platform and through semistructured interviews, participant log books, facilitator log books, and salivary cortisol analysis. Qualitative data will be analyzed using a grounded theory model.
Results: Data collection is currently underway. Data analysis, manuscript writing, and additional publications are expected to be completed in the winter and spring of 2018.
Conclusions: Based on previous results from in-person trials conducted in adolescents and eHealth trials conducted in adults, we anticipate that both modes of delivery will significantly improve mindfulness skills acquisition, mood, anxiety, self-esteem, illness perception, and stress and that the magnitude of the effects will be correlated to the level of home practice. We predict that participants in both arms will show similar levels of home practice and that both modes of delivery will have high levels of feasibility and acceptability. If successful, this study could provide evidence for the use of eHealth in the delivery of 8-week MBIs in clinical adolescent populations, potentially increasing availability to MBIs for a large group of youth with mobility issues or living away from large urban centers.
Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.org NCT03067207; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03067207 (archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6v4ZK8RBH).
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cites 17
- Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2000
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Defining mindfulness by how poorly I think I pay attention during everyday awareness and other intractable problems for psychology's (re)invention of mindfulness: Comment on Brown et al. (2011). Psychological Assessment 2011
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction for the treatment of adolescent psychiatric outpatients: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2009
- Assessing adolescent mindfulness: Validation of an Adapted Mindful Attention Awareness Scale in adolescent normative and psychiatric populations. Psychological Assessment 2011
and 12 more in the library