Resilience Intervention for Older, HIV-Infected Women



Status:Recruiting
Healthy:No
Age Range:50 - Any
Updated:10/6/2018
Start Date:November 27, 2017
End Date:April 2020
Contact:Christina Psaros, PhD
Email:cpsaros@mgh.harvard.edu
Phone:617.726.7458

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Developing a Resilience Intervention for Older, HIV-Infected Women

The goal of this study is to refine and pilot the Relaxation Response Resiliency (3RP)
intervention for women age 50 and over who are living with HIV, a group especially burdened
by stressors related both to aging and living with chronic disease. The investigators will
adapt the 3RP resiliency intervention to the needs of this population and conduct preliminary
testing of the group intervention via an open pilot study.

Overview.

Participants will be HIV-infected women (N=up to 40) age 50 or over. Women will be recruited
from the Boston area. Based on the investigators' qualitative work, the investigators will
deliver an adapted version of the 3RP resiliency intervention to groups of 5-8 HIV-infected
women age 50 and over. The 3RP intervention will consist of 8-10 weekly sessions of 90
minutes each focused on skills training to build and enhance resilience. The investigators
will conduct baseline and post-treatment quantitative assessments, in addition to individual
exit interviews to solicit feedback on the intervention. These data will be used to inform
the design of a future randomized pilot study.

Study procedures.

Participants (N = up to 40) will be HIV-infected women age 50 or over . Participants will be
recruited via study flyers (posted in the infectious disease clinics at local hospitals and
in the waiting areas of Boston area community organizations) and provider referral. Once an
individual expresses interest in the study, a research assistant will screen that individual
to assess study eligibility criteria. Individuals who meet inclusion criteria will be invited
to sign informed consent and complete an in-person baseline assessment. Participants will
then complete the intervention (described below), a post-treatment assessment, and an
individual in-depth exit interview to provide feedback on their experience in the study.

3RP Intervention:

Once enrolled in the study, participants will complete weekly group sessions of the 3RP
intervention. Sessions will focus on developing an understanding of stress sources and
physiology, and on developing a regular practice of eliciting the relaxation response (RR)
and learning cognitive behavioral and positive psychology skills to enhance resiliency to
long-term stress. Participants will be encouraged to practice skills (RR practice, thoughts
records to learn adaptive thinking) between group sessions.

Inclusion Criteria:

- biologically born women who endorse a female identity

- HIV-infected

- age 50 or older

- English speaking

Exclusion Criteria:

- presence of an active (i.e. untreated) and interfering psychiatric disorder (e.g.,
bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance abuse)

- have participated in a structured cognitive behavioral therapy and/or a mind-body
intervention in the past year
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Boston, Massachusetts 02118
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185 Cambridge Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02114
617-724-5200
Phone: 617-643-4566
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