Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Tele-Counselling Program With Care Partners of Persons Living With Dementia: A Pilot Feasibility RCT

We evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and potential effect of an acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) tele-counselling program offered by a non-profit organization for care partners of persons with dementia (PWD) in a bilingual rural province. Thirty participants enrolled and one withdrew. Intervention group participants (n = 14) received 6-8 individual counselling sessions via telephone, videoconference, or text. Control group participants (n = 15) received two general support telephone calls from Alzheimer Society staff. Results indicated limited recruitment and adherence (completion) feasibility, although acceptability and usability were high. Significant within-group reductions in anxiety and stress symptoms (DASS-21) and burden (ZBI-12) in the intervention group were demonstrated, although the groups were not significantly different post-intervention. ACT tele-counselling may increase care partner access to mental health services, improve symptoms, and alleviate strain on Alzheimer Society staff, though a larger trial is needed with a longer duration, multiple ACT therapists, and additional recruitment efforts. Protocol registered at https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05385458.