Caregiver stress: a mobile program tested, with no demonstrated effectiveness

An automated program over four weeks

Participants were assigned to either a culturally adapted mobile intervention or a waitlist group. For four weeks, the platform offered daily mindfulness exercises and journaling prompts. The control group received a written document covering mindfulness, journaling and support resources.

The researchers collected measurements at baseline, then at two, four and six weeks. They focused particularly on caregiver burden and perceived stress, as well as well-being and support received. This comparator therefore does not allow the program to be assessed against a complete absence of information.

Burden and stress move in different directions

In the intervention group, the median burden score fell from 20 before the intervention to 15 afterward. However, the median stress score increased from 19.50 to 21. In the control group, the medians for both measures remained unchanged.

These descriptive changes demonstrate neither a benefit for caregiver burden nor an increase in stress caused by the program. Without effectiveness testing, and with such a small sample, they do not establish whether the intervention performs better or worse than the written document.

Well-being, positive affect and informational support increased in both groups. These results therefore cannot be attributed specifically to the mobile platform.

Adherence remains the main challenge

Of the 30 participants recruited, 21 completed data collection at six weeks, a retention rate of 70%. The descriptive outcome analyses cover these participants, which limits their relevance if those who left the study had a different experience.

Journaling was preferred to mindfulness exercises, and adherence varied by activity. The authors therefore identify adjustments needed to the program’s content and implementation. That is the useful outcome of this pilot: identifying obstacles before attempting to establish effectiveness.

What we can take away

This pilot does not justify recommending this platform to reduce caregiver stress. It mainly shows that mobile support still needs to improve adherence and retention before its effectiveness can be evaluated.