{"title":"Acceptability and feasibility randomised controlled trial of a digital mental health intervention for people with Parkinson's (PACT): trial protocol.","authors":"Cathryn Pinto, Jennie Brown, Catherine Hurt, Patricia Cubi-Molla, Sulayman Chowdhury, Lance McCracken, Sam Norton, Ricardo Volpato, Simone Stumpf, Angeliki Bogosian","doi":"10.1186/s40814-025-01594-9","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>People with Parkinson's disease can experience psychological distress and have difficulties accessing face-to-face psychological support due to symptom burden and limited availability of psychological services. Digital options for psychological support can bridge this gap. We have developed an app based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to support people with Parkinson's to improve psychological wellbeing.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To assess the acceptability of the app and the feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the effectiveness of using the app to improve wellbeing for people with Parkinson's.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We will conduct a parallel-group randomised controlled feasibility trial comparing a digital app based on ACT (intervention group) to usual care (waitlist control group). We will recruit 60 people with Parkinson's, 40 to the intervention group and 20 to the control group. Primary feasibility outcomes include recruitment and retention rate, intervention engagement and satisfaction. Secondary outcomes include measures of clinical effectiveness (anxiety and depression), quality of life and cost-effectiveness. Interviews will be conducted to assess acceptability of the app. Primary feasibility outcome data will be analysed descriptively and compared against pre-defined feasibility criteria. Secondary outcomes will be analysed based on an intention-to-treat principle, and a cost-consequence analysis will be used to estimate cost-effectiveness. Interviews will be analysed using a deductive thematic analysis based on the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>This trial will provide data on the feasibility of conducting a full-scale RCT of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the app to improve psychological wellbeing for people with Parkinson's disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":20176,"journal":{"name":"Pilot and Feasibility Studies","volume":"11 1","pages":"32"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11921544/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Pilot and Feasibility Studies","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-025-01594-9","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"MEDICINE, RESEARCH & EXPERIMENTAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: People with Parkinson's disease can experience psychological distress and have difficulties accessing face-to-face psychological support due to symptom burden and limited availability of psychological services. Digital options for psychological support can bridge this gap. We have developed an app based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to support people with Parkinson's to improve psychological wellbeing.
Aim: To assess the acceptability of the app and the feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the effectiveness of using the app to improve wellbeing for people with Parkinson's.
Methods: We will conduct a parallel-group randomised controlled feasibility trial comparing a digital app based on ACT (intervention group) to usual care (waitlist control group). We will recruit 60 people with Parkinson's, 40 to the intervention group and 20 to the control group. Primary feasibility outcomes include recruitment and retention rate, intervention engagement and satisfaction. Secondary outcomes include measures of clinical effectiveness (anxiety and depression), quality of life and cost-effectiveness. Interviews will be conducted to assess acceptability of the app. Primary feasibility outcome data will be analysed descriptively and compared against pre-defined feasibility criteria. Secondary outcomes will be analysed based on an intention-to-treat principle, and a cost-consequence analysis will be used to estimate cost-effectiveness. Interviews will be analysed using a deductive thematic analysis based on the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability.
Discussion: This trial will provide data on the feasibility of conducting a full-scale RCT of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the app to improve psychological wellbeing for people with Parkinson's disease.
期刊介绍:
Pilot and Feasibility Studies encompasses all aspects of the design, conduct and reporting of pilot and feasibility studies in biomedicine. The journal publishes research articles that are intended to directly influence future clinical trials or large scale observational studies, as well as protocols, commentaries and methodology articles. The journal also ensures that the results of all well-conducted, peer-reviewed, pilot and feasibility studies are published, regardless of outcome or significance of findings. Pilot and feasibility studies are increasingly conducted prior to a full randomized controlled trial. However, these studies often lack clear objectives, many remain unpublished, and there is confusion over the meanings of the words “pilot” and “feasibility”. Pilot and Feasibility Studies provides a forum for discussion around this key aspect of the scientific process, and seeks to ensure that these studies are published, so as to complete the publication thread for clinical research.