Emotion, Aging, and Forgiveness: Protocol for a Feasibility of Randomized Controlled Trial

Emotion, Aging and Forgiveness: Protocol of a Feasibility and Acceptability Study of Emotion-Focused Therapy for Older Individuals

Over recent decades, Emotion-Focused Therapy, aging, and forgiveness have garnered significant attention in the field of psychology. However, there is a lack of studies on Emotion-Focused Therapy and forgiveness specifically tailored for older adults. This article describes a protocol to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a Randomized Controlled Trial of Emotion-Focused Therapy for the resolution of emotional injury in individuals over the age of 65 in the context of interpersonal offenses. The study is structured as a two-arm, parallel-group randomized trial with a waiting list control. We propose recruiting a sample of 70 participants, randomly assigned to either an immediate intervention group, which will receive Emotion-Focused Therapy over twelve weekly sessions, or a control group that will receive the same therapy after a twelve-week waiting period. Data will be collected in the beginning, middle, and at the end of therapy, and in two planned follow-ups (three and six months after therapy). Once this protocol is implemented, if the therapy proves to be feasible, acceptable, and shows promising results, the findings will inform a large-scale randomized clinical trial to advance the understanding of psychotherapy.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Our eligibility criteria include being 65 years or older, having experienced an interpersonal offense, residing at home or in a senior residence, stable prescribed medication use, scoring ≥ 26 on the MoCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment), and fluency in Portuguese or English.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Exclusion criteria include reporting an offense which is less than a year old, severe emotional injuries (such as being a victim of domestic violence or abuse), psychiatric disorders, suicidal ideation, parasuicidal behavior, recent loss of a loved one, involvement in other therapies or clinical studies, current alcohol or drug abuse, living with another participant, and frequent hospitalizations.