Key Summary
- Family caregivers using the 'iACT4CARERS' online therapy experienced meaningful reductions in anxiety and depression.
- The platform breaks down cultural barriers and stigma faced by caregivers in ethnic minority communities.
- The program was funded by the NIHR.
An online psychological training program has been found to significantly reduce anxiety and depression among people caring for family members with dementia.
The new research, published in The Lancet, found that carers using the ‘iACT4CARERS’ programme experienced improvements in their mental wellbeing after just three months, compared with those receiving usual care alone.
Developed by the University of East Anglia (UEA), the 'iACT4CARERS' platform uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help caregivers manage difficult thoughts and feelings while prioritising their own health.
The platform was co-designed alongside the Centre for Ethnic Health Research (CEHR) to ensure the content is culturally appropriate and tailored to the needs of diverse communities.
Caregiving dynamics can vary significantly across different communities. In many South Asian families, for instance, care responsibilities often fall on daughters or daughters-in-law, creating a younger caregiver demographic than typically seen in White British households.
Caregivers from ethnic minority backgrounds also face unique hurdles, including cultural expectations, stigma, and systemic barriers to healthcare.
Barbara Czyznikowska, Community Engagement and Inclusion Manger at the CEHR, said: “For many individuals from ethnic minority communities, caring for a loved one with dementia is a deeply held family responsibility, meaning carers often suffer in silence rather than seek help.
“Cultural expectations, stigma and unequal access to support leave many at greater risk of developing negative mental health.”
The £1.23 million study, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme, evaluated 496 family caregivers supporting loved ones with dementia.
Results showed that participants using the digital platform experienced lower levels of anxiety and depression compared with those receiving standard care alone, with improvements sustained at the six-month follow-up mark.
Lead researcher Dr Naoko Kishita, from UEA’s School of Health Sciences, said: “We know family carers of those living with dementia are at higher risk of mental health problems. Many family members around the world provide unpaid support to a person with dementia.
“Research shows that around one in three people supporting someone with dementia experiences anxiety or depression, but many struggle to access help because they cannot leave the person they support or because health and care services are under pressure.”
Dr Kishita concluded: “The improvement wasn’t just statistically significant – it was meaningful in real life, meaning people genuinely felt better. This is really important because iACT4CARERS offers support that is flexible, affordable and easy to access from home.
“The programme only needs a small amount of support from trained support workers, which means it could help many more people get the mental health support they need.
