Integrated Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Singapore Malay Muslims

Summary

Singapore's Institute of Mental Health (IMH) identified the need for culture-based research and clinical intervention catering to the minority populations in Singapore to foster treatment sustainability and recovery. Singapore's Malay population, account for 13.5% of the population. Malays tend to delay or drop-out of psychological treatments that do not address the cultural concerns which they associate to mental illness, i.e., a spiritual disorder caused by character flaws, evil spirits, or religious negligence.

The study examines the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy - Integrated with Psychology of Soul (MBCT-IPS) with Singaporean Malay Muslims with psychological distress. The secondary aims are to explore their experiences and perceptions on the intervention acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility. It may provide mental health practitioners with a treatment option that may be integrated with standard therapies.

Methods: This mixed-method, three-group randomised controlled trial recruited 80Malay Muslims with psychological distress at a psychiatric rehabilitation organisation. Participants will be randomly allocated to an MBCT-IPS experimental group, an MBCT group, or individual counselling-as-usual. MBCT-IPS is a 2+8-week group intervention that integrates the Psychology of Soul (IPS) with the standard Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT).

General Linear Model (GLM) with an intention-to-treat analysis and per-protocol approach will analyse the study. Participants' and treatment providers' qualitative experiences will be thematically analysed for the acceptability of treatment after the study.

Expected results: Overall improvements in outcome measures are expected with significant differences between groups. Qualitative experiences are hoped to be enriching and therapeutic for both participants and treatment providers, with treatment being appropriate, acceptable, and feasible.

Conditions

• Psychological Distress

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy

MBCT is a relapse prevention program that is used to teach participants with chronic physical/mental ailment (used to their conditions): * to manage early signs of distresses with compassionate awareness, and respond more effectively to mood and cognitive changes. * To become aware of bodily sensations, feelings, and thoughts, from moment to moment. * To help participants learn different ways of relating to sensations, thoughts and feelings- through mindful acceptance and acknowledgement of unwanted feelings and thoughts, rather than habitual, automatic, preprogrammed routines that tend to perpetuate difficulties. * To help participants to be able to choose the most skilful response to any unpleasant thoughts, feelings or situations that they meet. UK's NICE recommends MBCT for persons who are well and have had 3 or more episodes of depression. MBCT benefits persons whose distress is triggered by the way they process experiences.

BEHAVIORAL

Counselling as usual

Control group, Counselling as usual

Sponsors & Collaborators

• International Islamic University Malaysia

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Jamilah H Abdul Khaiyom, PhD · International Islamic University Malaysia

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

21 Years

Max Age

64 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-07-21

Primary Completion

2023-12-30

Completion

2023-12-30

Countries

• Singapore

Study Locations