Objective: To evaluate the psychological outcomes of a Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) group for people with Parkinson’s (PwP), including an additional carer-only session.

Background: Parkinson’s is associated with significant psychological challenges, including anxiety, self-criticism, and reduced sense of control. Care partners often experience parallel burdens, with elevated stress and limited access to structured psychological support. Compassion-Focused Therapy, which targets threat-based responses and encourages self-soothing, has shown promise in long-term conditions but remains under-explored in Parkinson’s populations. This project addresses this gap by evaluating a tailored CFT group intervention for PwP and care partners.

Method: 13 patients referred for psychological support attended weekly 90-minute CFT group sessions over six weeks. Sessions included psychoeducation and compassion-based strategies. A carer-only session followed the main programme. Quantitative measures were collected pre- and post-intervention for PwP, including self-compassion, anxiety, and perceived control. Qualitative feedback was obtained from PwP and care partners. Descriptive statistics explored pre and post changes in PwP outcomes, and thematic analysis was applied to qualitative data, including follow-up feedback from care partners collected via phone calls.

Results: PwP and care partners reported high satisfaction, emphasising the value of shared understanding and practical compassion-based strategies. Quantitative data indicated improvements in self-compassion and perceived control, alongside reductions in anxiety for PwP. Qualitative themes included increased emotional expression and connection with others, increased self-understanding, development of practical coping skills, and an overall positive experience. Feedback from the carer-only session highlighted connection through shared experiences, appreciation of psychoeducation about anxiety in Parkinson’s, and a desire for follow-up sessions.

Conclusion: The CFT group was well received and associated with positive psychological outcomes for PwP. Integrating compassion-based approaches within Parkinson’s services may enhance emotional wellbeing and support coping. Further research with larger samples is needed to examine long-term outcomes and optimise delivery. Online provision for care partners should be considered, as attendance was limited by work commitments.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/compassion-focussed-therapy-groups-for-people-with-parkinsons-and-their-care-partners/