TY - JOUR
T1 - Online Couple-Based Meditation Intervention for Patients With Primary or Metastatic Brain Tumors and Their Partners
T2 - Results of a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
AU - Milbury, Kathrin
AU - Weathers, Shiao Pei
AU - Durrani, Sania
AU - Li, Yisheng
AU - Whisenant, Meagan
AU - Li, Jing
AU - Lim, Bora
AU - Weinberg, Jeffrey S.
AU - Kesler, Shelli
AU - Cohen, Lorenzo
AU - Bruera, Eduardo
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
PY - 2020/6
Y1 - 2020/6
N2 - Objectives: Although patients with primary and metastatic brain tumors and their partners are at risk of experiencing high symptom burden, they are often excluded from psychosocial intervention studies. Thus, we sought to examine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a couple-based meditation (CBM) program targeting symptom and well-being outcomes. Methods: Couples completed baseline measures assessing symptom and well-being outcomes and were randomized to the CBM or a usual care control group. Couples in the CBM groups attended four weekly (60 minutes each) therapist-led sessions that were delivered via FaceTime (Apple Inc, Cupertino, CA). The CBM program focused on cultivating mindfulness, compassion, gratitude and purpose, and integrated emotional disclosure exercises. Both groups were reassessed six and 12 weeks after baseline. Results: We approached 60 eligible dyads, of which 37 (62%) consented, 35 (95%) were randomized, and 22 (63%) completed all assessments. Couples in the CBM group attended a mean of 3.33 sessions (SD 1.09). For patients, significant group differences in favor of the CBM group were found for cognitive (d = 1.05) and general disease symptoms (d = 0.93), and relationship well-being (d = 0.68) and compassion (d = 0.96). No significant group differences were revealed for partners. Conclusion: It seems to be feasible, acceptable, and possibly efficacious to deliver a dyadic intervention via FaceTime to brain tumor couples. Although both patients and partners in the CBM group rated the intervention as beneficial, significant group differences with medium-to-large effect sizes were only found for patients.
AB - Objectives: Although patients with primary and metastatic brain tumors and their partners are at risk of experiencing high symptom burden, they are often excluded from psychosocial intervention studies. Thus, we sought to examine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a couple-based meditation (CBM) program targeting symptom and well-being outcomes. Methods: Couples completed baseline measures assessing symptom and well-being outcomes and were randomized to the CBM or a usual care control group. Couples in the CBM groups attended four weekly (60 minutes each) therapist-led sessions that were delivered via FaceTime (Apple Inc, Cupertino, CA). The CBM program focused on cultivating mindfulness, compassion, gratitude and purpose, and integrated emotional disclosure exercises. Both groups were reassessed six and 12 weeks after baseline. Results: We approached 60 eligible dyads, of which 37 (62%) consented, 35 (95%) were randomized, and 22 (63%) completed all assessments. Couples in the CBM group attended a mean of 3.33 sessions (SD 1.09). For patients, significant group differences in favor of the CBM group were found for cognitive (d = 1.05) and general disease symptoms (d = 0.93), and relationship well-being (d = 0.68) and compassion (d = 0.96). No significant group differences were revealed for partners. Conclusion: It seems to be feasible, acceptable, and possibly efficacious to deliver a dyadic intervention via FaceTime to brain tumor couples. Although both patients and partners in the CBM group rated the intervention as beneficial, significant group differences with medium-to-large effect sizes were only found for patients.
KW - Brain tumor
KW - caregivers
KW - couples
KW - meditation
KW - psychosocial intervention
KW - quality of life
KW - symptoms
KW - videoconference
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2020.02.004
DO - 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2020.02.004
M3 - Article
C2 - 32061834
AN - SCOPUS:85081272160
SN - 0885-3924
VL - 59
SP - 1260
EP - 1267
JO - Journal of pain and symptom management
JF - Journal of pain and symptom management
IS - 6
ER -