%0 Journal Article
%@ 1929-0748
%I JMIR Publications
%V 10
%N 8
%P e30813
%T Smartphone Delivery of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Postintensive Care Syndrome-Family: Protocol for a Pilot Study
%A Petrinec,Amy B
%A Hughes,Joel W
%A Zullo,Melissa D
%A Wilk,Cindy
%A George,Richard L
%+ College of Nursing, Kent State University, Henderson Hall, 1375 University Esplanade, Kent, OH, 44242, United States, 1 3307152987, apetrine@kent.edu
%K postintensive care syndrome-family
%K mobile health app
%K cognitive behavioral therapy
%K mobile phone
%D 2021
%7 4.8.2021
%9 Protocol
%J JMIR Res Protoc
%G English
%X Background: Family members of critically ill patients experience symptoms of postintensive care syndrome-family (PICS-F), including anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Postintensive care syndrome-family reduces the quality of life of the families of critically ill patients and may impede the recovery of such patients. Cognitive behavioral therapy has become a first-line nonpharmacological treatment of many psychological symptoms and disorders, including anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress. With regard to managing mild-to-moderate symptoms, the delivery of cognitive behavioral therapy via mobile technology without input from a clinician has been found to be feasible and well accepted, and its efficacy rivals that of face-to-face therapy. Objective: The purpose of our pilot study is to examine the efficacy of using a smartphone mobile health (mHealth) app to deliver cognitive behavioral therapy and diminish the severity and prevalence of PICS-F symptoms in family members of critically ill patients. Methods: For our pilot study, 60 family members of critically ill patients will be recruited. A repeated-measures longitudinal study design that involves the randomization of participants to 2 groups (the control and intervention groups) will be used. The intervention group will receive cognitive behavioral therapy, which will be delivered via a smartphone mHealth app. Bandura’s social cognitive theory and an emphasis on mental health self-efficacy form the theoretical framework of the study. Results: Recruitment for the study began in August 2020. Data collection and analysis are expected to be completed by March 2022. Conclusions: The proposed study represents a novel approach to the treatment of PICS-F symptoms and is an extension of previous work conducted by the research team. The study will be used to plan a fully powered randomized controlled trial. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04316767; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04316767 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/30813 
%M 34346900
%R 10.2196/30813
%U https://www.researchprotocols.org/2021/8/e30813
%U https://doi.org/10.2196/30813
%U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34346900