Overview
The goal of this clinical trial is to improve quality of life in Parkinson's Disease (PD) patients by increasing their empathy and their (self-)compassion. The main question it aims to answer is:
Does the level of quality of life in PD patients and caregivers improve after empathy/(self-)compassion training?
Participants will be delivered a 6-week empathy and compassion training (mindfulness, writing and poetry exercises addressing the cognitive, emotional, motivational and behavioural components of (self-)compassion) and will also be asked to answer questionnaires before and after the training
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Diagnosis of PD
- Hoehn and Yahr scale, stage ≤ 3
- Mini Mental State Examination with a score ≥ 26
- Able to give informed consent as documented by signature
- At least, secondary school education
- To have a regular caregiver at home
Exclusion Criteria:
- Any medical condition that is not PD, such as drug induced parkinsonism
- Major depression, dysthymia, or according to DSM-V
- Other neurological or psychiatric diseases
- Neuropsychological scores compatible with the diagnosis of early dementia
- Inability to follow the procedures of the study, e.g. due to language problems, psychological disorders, etc
For CAREGIVERS:
Inclusion criteria
- Taking care of the patient on a regular basis, i.e., at least 3 days per week
- Being caregiver of the patients for at least 3 months
- At least, secondary school education
- Written informed consent