Feasibility of a Telephone-Delivered Mindfulness Intervention for Informal Caregivers of Rural-Dwelling African Americans With Dementia.
Keturah R Faurot, Isabel Roth, Elondra Harr, Jennifer Shafer, Kessonga Giscombé, Karen M Sheffield-Abdullah, Christine Lathren, Mary Brantley, Sharon W Williams, Susan A Gaylord
Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health 2025 DOI: 10.1177/27536130251347944 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Single-arm, multiple-methods study Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Informal caregivers of African Americans with moderate-to-severe dementia living in rural eastern North Carolina |
| Intervention | Mindfulness training |
| Duration | 8-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | African americans Caregiver burden Families Rural populations Mindfulness intervention: mindfulness Telephone mindfulness Virtual mindfulness Stress reduction techniques Well-being practices Caregiving strain Emotional burden Caregiver distress Caregiver challenges Minority caregivers Ethnic minority caregiving Informal caregivers Dementia caregivers Remote area health Underserved populations |
| Registration | NCT04058886 |
| Key points | A telephone-delivered mindfulness intervention was feasible and showed promise for reducing perceived burden among rural-dwelling informal caregivers of African Americans with dementia. |
Abstract
Mindfulness training has been associated with improved health outcomes among family caregivers of people living with dementia, but access to training is limited, especially in rural areas. Moreover, mindfulness training that addresses the unique perspectives of African American families is needed. The study aimed to test the feasibility and acceptability of a theory-driven, telephone-delivered mindfulness intervention for caregivers of African Americans with moderate-to-severe dementia living in rural eastern North Carolina. In this single-arm, multiple-methods study, pairs of informal caregivers attended an 8-week mindfulness training program involving weekly one-hour telephone-delivered sessions, and an online retreat. Feasibility outcomes included enrollment, retention, attendance, and acceptability. Exploratory pre-post endpoints related to our theoretical model included perceived caregiver burden (Zarit Burden Interview), uncertainty intolerance (Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale), and positive emotions (Meaning and Purpose Scale). Seventy-eight percent of screened individuals enrolled, 86% completed the study, and 88% attended ≥6 sessions. Participants found the program valuable, especially via telephone. Perceived burden decreased from pre-to-post intervention (mean difference [MD] -2.7, (95% CI: -4.5, -1.3; Cohen's d -0.47) and positive emotions increased (MD 2.7, 95% CI 0.81, 4.5; d = 0.37). Both inhibitory (MD -1.0, 95% CI -1.8, -0.09; d = -0.28) and prospective (MD -1.2, 95% CI -2.7, 0.3; d = -0.20) intolerance of uncertainty were lower post-intervention. A telephone-delivered mindfulness training intervention was feasible and shows promise for reducing perceived burden among rural-dwelling informal caregivers of African Americans with dementia. Further testing in a randomized parallel-group trial comparing mindfulness training to a credible control intervention is warranted. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04058886.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cites 6
- The Cultural Relevance of Mindfulness Meditation as a Health Intervention for African Americans Journal of Holistic Nursing January 17, 2014
- Mindfulness training for psychological stress in family caregivers of persons with dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Clinical Interventions in Aging September 1, 2017
- Mindfulness Training for People With Dementia and Their Caregivers: Rationale, Current Research, and Future Directions Frontiers in Psychology June 13, 2018
- Mindful Self-Care and Resiliency (MSCR): protocol for a pilot trial of a brief mindfulness intervention to promote occupational resilience in rural general practitioners BMJ Open June 1, 2018
- Easing the burden of dementia caregiving: Protocol development for a telephone-delivered mindfulness intervention for rural, African American families. Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications December 2022
and 1 more in the library