JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Family caregivers of frail older adults experience high stress levels. Mind-body interventions (MBIs) focused on caregiver stress are often limited in teaching approach, difficult to practise, and costly. A social media-based MBI involving mindfulness meditation (MM) and self-administered acupressure (SA) may be effective on family caregivers, offer greater usability, and lead to greater adherence.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to test the feasibility and preliminary effects of a social media-based MBI involving MM and SA on the family caregivers of frail older adults and to investigate the preliminary effects of the intervention using a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT).

Methods:

Methods:

A 2-arm randomized controlled trial design was adopted. Open-access recruitment of participants was conducted in a hospital. Family caregivers of frail older adults (n=64) were randomized into either the intervention group (n=32) receiving 8 weeks of social media-based MBI involving MM and SA or the control group (n=32) receiving brief education on caregiving for people with frailty. The primary outcome (caregiver stress) and secondary outcomes (caregiver burden, sleep quality, and mindfulness awareness and attention) were measured via an online survey at baseline (T0), immediately after the intervention (T1), and at the 3-month follow-up (T2).

Results:

The feasibility of the intervention was established with a high attendance rate (87.5%), usability score (79), and low attrition rate (1.6%). The generalized estimating equation results showed that participants in the intervention group experienced a significant improvement in stress (P=.017 and .044), sleep quality (P=.004 and .014), and mindful awareness and attention (P=.006 and .021) compared with the control group at T1 and T2. There were no significant improvements in caregiver burden (P=.593 and .471). A focus group session conducted after the intervention had five themes: Impacts on the family caregivers, difficulty in practising the intervention, the strength of the programme, the limitation of the programme, and perception of the intervention.

Conclusions:

The findings support the feasibility and preliminary effects of the social media-based MBI on reducing the stress of family caregivers and improving sleep quality and mindfulness. The intervention programme can be further tested and compared with simpler MBIs to confirm its effectiveness. Clinical Trial: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry：ChiCTR2100049507;