Cereset Research for Caregivers

Description

Phase I: Intervention only pre-piloting: up to 5 adults; mirroring Phase II characteristics described below

Phase II: 20 caregivers experiencing symptoms of stress, anxiety or insomnia. Primary aims are to:

1) Evaluate the effect of CR to improve autonomic cardiovascular regulation measured as heart rate variability (HRV) and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS). Impact will be assessed based on changes in standard measures of HRV and BRS such as SDNN, rMSSD, HF Alpha, and Sequence ALL. This will also provide blood pressure values evaluated by an automated oscillometric blood pressure device.

2) Assess the effect of CR on self-reported symptom inventories of stress, anxiety, insomnia, and caregiver burden and distress.

1. Insomnia as assessed by the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI).
2. Behavioral outcomes such as depression (as assessed by the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale, CES-D), anxiety (as evaluated by the GAD-7), traumatic stress (as assessed by the PCL-C), and stress (as assessed by the Perceived Stress Scale, PSS).
3. Overall quality of life as evaluated using the QOLS measure.
4. Caregiver burden and distress measured with the Zarit Caregiver Burden scale and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI-Q).
5. Brief (4-item) caregiver self-efficacy scale.