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The feasibility of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for people with bipolar disorder: a qualitative study.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Mindfulness- Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) could be a promising psychosocial intervention for people with bipolar disorder (BD). However, little is known about the feasibility of MBCT for people with BD. In this study we explore the facilitators and barriers people with BD experience of an adapted MBCT program. METHOD:This qualitative study is part of a large, multicenter randomized controlled trial on MBCT for BD (trial registration number: NCT03507647). The present study included 16 participants with BD who participated in an 8-week adapted MBCT program. Semi- structured interviews exploring the feasibility, with a particular focus on the bipolar symptoms, were recorded verbatim, transcribed and analyzed. For reasons of triangulation, teachers were interviewed as well. RESULTS:Participants reported different barriers and facilitators of MBCT, both generally as well as with regard to their bipolar disorder. Four key themes arose: the training itself, psychosocial factors, personal characteristics and the bipolar disorder. Themes were further divided in subthemes. CONCLUSION:The adapted MBCT program seemed to be feasible for people with BD. Depressive symptoms often acted as a barrier for participating in MBCT, suggesting that participants might need additional support when depressed. Manic symptoms could act both as a barrier and facilitator, suggesting that the occurrence of (hypo)mania does not necessarily have to be an exclusion criterion for participation. Further clinical and research implications are suggested. TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03507647. Registered 25th of April 2018, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03507647 .

SUBMITTER: Hanssen I

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7658276 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The feasibility of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for people with bipolar disorder: a qualitative study.

Hanssen Imke I van der Horst Nicole N Boele Marieke M Lochmann van Bennekom Marc M Regeer Eline E Speckens Anne A

International journal of bipolar disorders 20201111 1

<h4>Background</h4>Mindfulness- Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) could be a promising psychosocial intervention for people with bipolar disorder (BD). However, little is known about the feasibility of MBCT for people with BD. In this study we explore the facilitators and barriers people with BD experience of an adapted MBCT program.<h4>Method</h4>This qualitative study is part of a large, multicenter randomized controlled trial on MBCT for BD (trial registration number: NCT03507647). The present s ...[more]

PMID: 33175338

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Project description:BackgroundHuntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative condition which affects movement, coordination and cognitive functioning. Psychological difficulties are commonly experienced; however, psychological interventions have been little researched with this population. We investigated the feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) with people with the HD genetic mutation, either pre-manifest (before onset of movement symptoms) or at an early disease stage. Specifically, we evaluated the willingness of participants to be recruited into and complete the intervention; the acceptability of the study measures in relation to completion; the feasibility of offering the standard MBCT course to people with HD; the acceptability of the intervention and the estimated effect sizes.MethodsParticipants were recruited from two UK HD centres and took part in an 8-week course of MBCT, with three reunions throughout the following year. Stress, depression, anxiety, and mindfulness were measured pre-, mid-, and post-course, at 3 months and at 1 year. Sleep, quality of life, positive affect and coping were measured pre- and post-course, at 3 months and at 1 year. Descriptive data and approximate effect sizes were calculated. Interviews were conducted post-course and at 1 year and data pertaining to the acceptability of the course were extracted.ResultsTwelve participants took part in two groups; all were pre-manifest. Levels of depression and anxiety were low pre-course leaving little room for improvement. Changes in stress and in some aspects of mindfulness were medium to large. The qualitative data suggested participants rated the course highly and found it helpful and no changes to the standard course were needed. Recruitment levels were below those anticipated. Most measures were found to be acceptable.ConclusionsAlthough the course was acceptable to those who took part, given the difficulties in recruiting and the rarity of HD, conducting an RCT of MBCT teaching groups in person does not seem feasible. However, alternative modes of course delivery (e.g. online) would allow the recruitment of people from a greater geographical area and may make an RCT feasible; this revised focus would be suitable for future feasibility studies.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02464293, registered 8 June 2015.

Project description:Background Compassion focused therapy (CFT) is an evolutionary informed, biopsychosocial approach to mental health problems and therapy. It suggests that evolved motives (e.g., for caring, cooperating, competing) are major sources for the organisation of psychophysiological processes which underpin mental health problems. Hence, evolved motives can be targets for psychotherapy. People with certain types of depression are psychophysiologically orientated towards social competition and concerned with social status and social rank. These can give rise to down rank-focused forms of social comparison, sense of inferiority, worthlessness, lowered confidence, submissive behaviour, shame proneness and self-criticism. People with bipolar disorders also experience elevated aspects of competitiveness and up rank status evaluation. These shift processing to a sense of superiority, elevated confidence, energised behaviour, positive affect and social dominance. This is the first study to explore the feasibility of a 12 module CFT group, tailored to helping people with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder understand the impact of evolved competitive, status-regulating motivation on their mental states and the value of cultivating caring and compassion motives and their psychophysiological regulators. Methods Six participants with a history of bipolar disorder took part in a CFT group consisting of 12 modules (over 25 sessions) as co-collaborators to explore their personal experiences of CFT and potential processes of change. Assessment of change was measured via self-report, heart rate variability (HRV) and focus groups over three time points. Results Although changes in self-report scales between participants and across time were uneven, four of the six participants consistently showed improvements across the majority of self-report measures. Heart rate variability measures revealed significant improvement over the course of the therapy. Qualitative data from three focus groups revealed participants found CFT gave them helpful insight into: how evolution has given rise to a number of difficult problems for emotion regulation (called tricky brain) which is not one’s fault; an evolutionary understanding of the nature of bipolar disorders; development of a compassionate mind and practices of compassion focused visualisations, styles of thinking and behaviours; addressing issues of self-criticism; and building a sense of a compassionate identity as a means of coping with life difficulties. These impacted their emotional regulation and social relationships. Conclusion Although small, the study provides evidence of feasibility, acceptability and engagement with CFT. Focus group analysis revealed that participants were able to switch from competitive focused to compassion focused processing with consequent improvements in mental states and social behaviour. Participants indicated a journey over time from ‘intellectually’ understanding the process of building a compassionate mind to experiencing a more embodied sense of compassion that had significant impacts on their orientation to (and working with) the psychophysiological processes of bipolar disorder.

Project description:BackgroundOnline mindfulness based cognitive therapy (eMBCT) has been shown to reduce psychological distress in people with cancer. However, this population has reported lack of support and asynchronous communication as barriers to eMBCT, resulting in higher nonadherence rates than with face-to-face MBCT. Using a co-creation process, we developed 2 formats of eMBCT: group, blended (combination of therapist-guided group and individual online sessions) and individual, unguided (individual, unguided online sessions only). Group, blended eMBCT offers peer support and guidance, whereas individual, unguided eMBCT offers flexibility and the possibility of large-scale implementation.ObjectiveThe objective of this nonrandomized feasibility study was to assess aspects of feasibility of the group, blended and individual, unguided eMBCT interventions.MethodsParticipants were people with cancer who chose between group, blended and individual, unguided eMBCT. Both intervention conditions followed the same 8-week eMBCT program, including an introductory session and a silent day (10 sessions total). All sessions for individual, unguided eMBCT occurred via the platform Minddistrict, whereas group, blended eMBCT consisted of 3 online videoconference sessions guided by a mindfulness teacher and 5 sessions via Minddistrict. We assessed the feasibility of the intervention quantitatively and qualitatively by evaluating its acceptability among participants. Additionally, we assessed limited efficacy by looking at the number of questionnaires participants completed pre- and postintervention.ResultsWe included 12 participants for each eMBCT condition. Participants in group, blended eMBCT completed, on average, 9.7 of 10 sessions, compared with an average 8.3 sessions for individual, unguided eMBCT (excluding dropouts). Of the 24 participants, 13 (54%) agreed to be interviewed (5 unguided and 8 blended). Participants in both conditions reported positive experiences, including the convenience of not having to travel and the flexibility to choose when and where to participate. However, among the barriers for participation, participants in the group, blended condition reported a preference for more group sessions, and participants in the individual, unguided condition reported a lack of guidance. Additionally, for the group, blended condition, the effect sizes were small for all outcome measures (Hedges g range=0.01-0.36), except for fatigue, which had a moderate effect size (Hedges g=0.57). For the individual, unguided condition, the effect sizes were small for all outcome measures (Hedges g range=0.24-0.46), except for mindfulness skills (Hedges g=0.52) and engagement with the intervention (Hedges g=1.53).ConclusionsParticipants in this study had a positive experience with group, blended and individual, unguided eMBCT. Based on the results from this study, we will adjust the intervention prior to conducting a full-scale randomized controlled trial to evaluate effectiveness; we will add 1 group session to the group, blended eMBCT using Zoom as the platform for the group sessions; and we will send reminders to participants to complete questionnaires.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT05336916; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05336916.

Dataset Information

The feasibility of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for people with bipolar disorder: a qualitative study.

Publications

The feasibility of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for people with bipolar disorder: a qualitative study.

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