A Pilot Trial on Effect of Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy for Individuals With Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS)
Condition: Multiple Chemical Sensitivities
MeSH terms: Hypersensitivity; Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      OBJECTIVES

      The objective is to evaluate the effect of an 8-week mindfulness-based cognitive therapy
      (MBCT) programme on psychological - and somatic symptoms, and illness perceptions in
      individuals with self- reported multiple chemical sensitivities.

      PARTICIPANTS

      Participants will be recruited among respondents to a survey on the consequences of
      self-reported symptoms related to inhalation of airborne chemicals conducted by the Danish
      Research Centre for Chemical Sensitivities.

      DESIGN

      The pilot trial is designed as a randomized trial on the effect of MBCT versus treatment as
      usual.

      INTERVENTION

      The MBCT programme includes 2½ hours of group training at the Psychiatric Centre,
      Rigshospitalet once a week for 8 weeks. Furthermore participants are encouraged to practice
      at home for up to 45 min per day, 6 days a week during the entire course.

      OUTCOME MEASURES

      Effect of MBCT will be estimated from individual scores on psychometric scales
    

Detailed description: 
      BACKGROUND

      Multiple chemical sensitivities is a collective term used to describe illness from exposure
      to common environ-mental agents. A recent Danish population-based cross sectional study
      reported that 27% of the respondents reported various symptoms from exposure to common
      environmental agents. In 19% of the respondents symptoms had led to behavioral changes and in
      3.3% of the respondents to adjustments in either social life or occupational conditions, and
      in 0.5% to adjustments in both social life and occupational conditions. Multiple chemical
      sensitivities is not acknowledged as a clinical diagnose in Denmark and the Danish Healthcare
      System has no clinical guidelines for management of people who report this type of illness.

      OBJECTIVES

      To evaluate the effect of an 8-week mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) programme on
      psychological - and somatic symptoms, and illness perceptions in individuals with self-
      reported multiple chemical sensitivities.

      PARTICIPANTS

      Participants will be recruited among respondents to a survey on the consequences of
      self-reported symptoms related to inhalation of airborne chemicals conducted by the Danish
      Research Centre for Chemical Sensitives.

      DESIGN

      The pilot trial is designed as a randomized trial on the effect of MBCT versus treatment as
      usual. Eligible participants (n= 42) stratified by occupational status (e.g. employed/not
      employed) will be randomized to either intervention (MBCT) or treatment as usual.

      INTERVENTION

      The MBCT programme includes 2½ hours of group training at the Psychiatric Centre,
      Rigshospitalet once a week for 8 weeks. Furthermore participants are encouraged to practice
      at home for up to 45 min per day, 6 days a week during the entire course.

      OUTCOME MEASURES

      Effect of MBCT will be estimated from individual scores on the following psychometric scales:
      Symptom-Check List-92, The Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale-10
      and The Subjective Health Complaints-inventory. Estimations will be carried out at baseline,
      four weeks after start of MBCT programme, eight weeks after start of MBCT programme, and
      three months after ending the MBCT programme.
    

Intervention name(s): Minfulness-based cognitive therapy
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is a group intervention that integrates elements from primarily Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction programme (MBSR)and cognitive therapy.The MBCT programme includes 2½ hours of training once a week for 8 weeks. In addition participants are encouraged to practice at home for up to 45 min per day, 6 days a week during the entire course.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Multiple chemical sensitivities; MCS; Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy; MBCT; Behavioural intervention; Stress; Illness perceptions; Pilot trial