An Online ACT Group for Parents
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An Online ACT Group for Parents of Children with Physical Health Conditions
IRAS ID
318377
Contact name
Calum Harris
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Edinburgh
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 31 days
Research summary
This project will assess the effectiveness of an online acceptance and commitment therapy group in reducing distress in parents of children with a physical health condition.
Parents are being studied because they are vital in helping to support the child and inform medical teams. However, they can experience high levels of distress. It is hoped this study will reduce distress and increase parents’ capacity for supporting their child and communication with medical professionals.
This study will use a repeated baseline measures study design. Multiple baseline measures ask participants to complete measures periodically before, during and after a clinical intervention. The number of measures participants complete before starting an intervention is manipulated. Doing this allows participants to act as their own controls. Any changes that occur for participants should be seen at the same point, when the interventions begins, and not an arbitrary time point (i.e. two weeks after starting the study). Participants for this study will be asked to complete 2 questionnaires weekly. They will be allocated to one of three groups, each group will collect measures for a different amount of time (10, 12 or 14 weeks in total).
Participants will be parents of a child who has a physical condition and is on the paediatric psychology caseload. Their child’s psychological clinician will provide potential aprticipants with an information sheet and any who are interested will be offered a pre-group meeting with a member of the research team. Participants who meet inclusion criteria and give informed consent will be enrolled and allocated to one of the three groups. Participants will complete weekly measures online and will participate in four weekly Acceptance and Commitment Therapy group sessions with other participants, facilitated by two clinicians.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 5
REC reference
23/WS/0062
Date of REC Opinion
26 May 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion