TY - JOUR
T1 - A randomized controlled trial investigating the feasibility of a low-intensity psychological intervention for fear of memory loss and quality of life in older adults
T2 - Protocol for the reducing fear and avoidance of memory loss (REFRAME) study
AU - O'Loughlin, Patricia
AU - Pavithra, Pavithra
AU - Regan, John
AU - Bennett, Marc
AU - Knight, Rachel
AU - Lenaert, Bert
AU - Marquez, Melissa
AU - Taddeo, Michelle
AU - Griffith, James
AU - Shapiro, Rita
AU - Farina, Francesca
N1 - Funding Information:
This project received funding from the pilot grant from the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine awarded to FF, JG, and MB in August 2020 and was approved by the Institutional Review Board in Northwestern University Chicago in March 2021. Data collection has commenced as of May 2021 and will continue on a rolling basis until sufficient participants have been recruited.
Publisher Copyright:
© Patricia O'Loughlin, Pavithra Pavithra, John Regan, Marc Bennett, Rachel Knight, Bert Lenaert, Melissa Marquez, Michelle Taddeo, James Griffith, Rita Shapiro, Francesca Farina. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 30.07.2021. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in JMIR Research Protocols, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on https://www.researchprotocols.org, as well as this copyright and license information must be included.
PY - 2021/7
Y1 - 2021/7
N2 - Background: Dementia is the most feared disease associated with aging. Prolonged fears about memory loss and dementia can have harmful consequences even in the absence of cognitive decline. Fear of dementia is associated with poorer health outcomes and psychological well-being and increased memory failures in older adults. Objective: We will conduct a randomized controlled trial to determine the feasibility of a tailored, web-based mindfulness program to reduce fear of memory loss and increase quality of life in older adults experiencing heightened fear. Methods: Eighty participants will be recruited and divided into 2 groups (40 in each group). One group will receive psychoeducation plus mindfulness training. A second group will receive psychoeducation, mindfulness training, and additional modules targeting maladaptive behavioral avoidance (ie, social and cognitive withdrawal). Results: Our recent etiological model posits that maladaptive behavioral avoidance strategies critically underlie psychosocial dysfunction associated with fear of memory loss. Thus, we predict better outcomes in the second group, including reduced fear of memory loss (primary outcome), Alzheimer disease, anxiety, and subjective memory failures, and increased quality of life (secondary outcomes). Outcome measures will be applied at 5 time points (before, baseline, interim, and after the intervention, and at 3-month follow-up). Data will be analyzed using mixed models and correlations. Conclusions: Results from this study will contribute to the current literature on dementia-related fear and improve our understanding of how to effectively address and reduce these fears.
AB - Background: Dementia is the most feared disease associated with aging. Prolonged fears about memory loss and dementia can have harmful consequences even in the absence of cognitive decline. Fear of dementia is associated with poorer health outcomes and psychological well-being and increased memory failures in older adults. Objective: We will conduct a randomized controlled trial to determine the feasibility of a tailored, web-based mindfulness program to reduce fear of memory loss and increase quality of life in older adults experiencing heightened fear. Methods: Eighty participants will be recruited and divided into 2 groups (40 in each group). One group will receive psychoeducation plus mindfulness training. A second group will receive psychoeducation, mindfulness training, and additional modules targeting maladaptive behavioral avoidance (ie, social and cognitive withdrawal). Results: Our recent etiological model posits that maladaptive behavioral avoidance strategies critically underlie psychosocial dysfunction associated with fear of memory loss. Thus, we predict better outcomes in the second group, including reduced fear of memory loss (primary outcome), Alzheimer disease, anxiety, and subjective memory failures, and increased quality of life (secondary outcomes). Outcome measures will be applied at 5 time points (before, baseline, interim, and after the intervention, and at 3-month follow-up). Data will be analyzed using mixed models and correlations. Conclusions: Results from this study will contribute to the current literature on dementia-related fear and improve our understanding of how to effectively address and reduce these fears.
KW - Behavioral activation
KW - Dementia
KW - Fear
KW - Memory loss
KW - Mindfulness
KW - Older adults
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85111676500&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85111676500&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2196/30514
DO - 10.2196/30514
M3 - Article
C2 - 34328428
AN - SCOPUS:85111676500
SN - 1929-0748
VL - 10
JO - JMIR Research Protocols
JF - JMIR Research Protocols
IS - 7
M1 - e30514
ER -
