Dementia Caregivers and Contemplative Practice: A Pilot Study

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The goal of this study is to test the contemplative practice is feasible and acceptable among informal dementia caregivers population at all stages.

Detailed Description
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It will also examine the benefits of this intervention and compare the outcomes between two groups (intervention and wait-list control).

Official Title
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Dementia Caregivers and Contemplative Practice: A Pilot Study

Conditions
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Loneliness

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Contemplative Practice


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Dementia Family Caregivers At least cared for dementia care receipient more than 6 months Exclusion Criteria: If they have meditated less than 2 months ago Cognitive or language barrier that would make it difficult to understand and sign the informed consent

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Contemplative Practice<br>Maitribodh Sambodh (MSD) is a unique form of contemplative practice which combines breath watch, mantra or vibrational sound chant, focused meditation followed by loving kindness or a gratitude exercise at the end. | Behavioral: Contemplative Practice<br>* Contemplative practice included Maitribodh Sambodh Dhyaan (MSD), which was designed to increase feeling of love and connection by including most of components of different contemplative practices such as breath watch, mantra or vibrational sound chant, focused meditation, and visualization followed by loving-kindness or a gratitude exercise at the end.<br>|
| Other: Waitlist Control<br>The arm will eventually get the intervention. | Behavioral: Contemplative Practice<br>* Contemplative practice included Maitribodh Sambodh Dhyaan (MSD), which was designed to increase feeling of love and connection by including most of components of different contemplative practices such as breath watch, mantra or vibrational sound chant, focused meditation, and visualization followed by loving-kindness or a gratitude exercise at the end.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in Loneliness | The UCLA 3-item Loneliness scale will be used to measure loneliness. The scores on this scale range from 3 to 9, the highest scores indicative of a higher level of loneliness. The scale is called UCLA 3-item scale but UCLA is representative of University of California Los Angeles. | baseline, at 10 days and 21 days of Matribodh Sambodh Dhyaan practice (meditation), and at 30 days and 60 days follow-up. |