Low intensity cognitive behavioral therapy to improve psychological well-being among family carers of older adults in Hong Kong: a cluster randomized controlled trial study protocol.

BACKGROUND: The rapid aging population in Hong Kong has led to an increased reliance on family carers to support older adults age in place. This demographic shift poses significant mental health challenges for carers, who often experience elevated levels of psychological distress, including anxiety and depression. Development of effective interventions to improve the mental health of carers of older adults in Hong Kong is needed. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a low intensity cognitive behavioral therapy (Li-CBT) intervention to improve the psychological well-being among family carers of older adults in Hong Kong, specifically focusing on reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety. METHODS: A two-armed, multi-site, single-blind clustered randomized controlled trial will be conducted over 3 months. A target of 270 carers will be recruited from nine district-based carer support units and randomly assigned to either the Li-CBT intervention group or a control group. The primary outcomes will include changes in depression and anxiety levels, measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), assessed at baseline, immediate post-intervention (6-week) and 3-month post-intervention. Secondary outcomes will encompass a range of assessments, including carer multidimensional need assessment, social support, quality of life, caregiver burden, and resilience. It is hypothesized that participants in the Li-CBT intervention group will show a greater reduction in depression and anxiety scores compared to those in the control group. This study seeks to provide evidence for an integrated, evidence-based intervention model that can be widely disseminated to support family carers of older adults, ultimately improving their mental health and quality of life. DISCUSSION: The findings of this study will inform future research and practice on supporting carers of older adults. If effective, the Li-CBT intervention will contribute to reduce depression and anxiety levels and improve the overall quality of life while addressing a critical literature and service gap of culturally sensitive intervention for family carers of older adults in Hong Kong. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The protocol for this study has been registered with ClinicalTrials.gov under the identifier NCT06473012. The registration was completed prospectively before the enrollment of the first participant on July 2, 2024.