The Feasibility of an Intervention Targeting Sources of Meaning in Cardiac Rehabilitation

NCT ID: NCT07262580

Last Updated: 2026-01-13

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 80 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-11-20
• Study Completion Date: 2027-02-28

Brief Summary

Being diagnosed with heart disease can be a life-changing experience, often sparking existential questions and concerns about meaning in life. A lack of meaning in life has been found associated with increased emotional distress and decreased quality of life. Health professionals recognize that issues related to personal meaning in life are relevant but rarely address these aspects systematically in cardiac rehabilitation. This may be due to a lack of necessary tools.

The project evaluates a novel, brief and structured intervention that aims to strengthen the experience of meaningfulness and reduce or prevent emotional distress by addressing personal sources of meaning in life among patients attending cardiac rehabilitation and their relatives in Denmark. The intervention is based on the Sources of Meaning Card Method, a method developed by Peter la Cour and Tatjana Schnell to map and explore personal sources of meaning (www.somecam.org). For the current project, the method has been adapted for a cardiac rehabilitation context.

Three intervention formats are examined in a feasibility study in a municipal rehabilitation setting: 1) an individual format for patients in cardiac rehabilitation, 2) a dyadic format including a patient together with a relative, and 3) a group format for patients. Approximately 60 patients and 20 relatives are expected to participate. The study explores (a) participants' experience with and acceptability of the intervention formats; (b) changes in meaningfulness and emotional distress in a pre-post design; (c) recruitment and adherence rate, and (d) acceptability and practicality of the three formats among rehabilitation professionals.

Conditions

Heart Disease; Mental Health Outcomes; Rehabilitation

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NON_RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

a) Individual intervention format

1:1 conversation between a professional and a patient in rehabilitation.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Conversation on Sources of Meaning in life with heart disease

Intervention Type: OTHER

The intervention uses the brief and structured Sources of Meaning Card Method (SoMeCaM; www.somecam.org), which has been adapted for use in cardiac rehabilitation. It explores personal sources of meaning in a conversation with one patient in a 1-hour session. It comprises 26 cards each including statements on a particular source of meaning. The patient prioritizes the cards, reflects on them, and identifies possibilities for change.

The conversation is facilitated by a professional (trained master students in psychology) and followed up with a phone call approximately 4 weeks after the conversation.

b) Dyadic (patient-relative) intervention format

The patient participates together with a relative and a professional.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Dyadic Conversation on Sources of Meaning in Life with heart disease

Intervention Type: OTHER

The intervention is based on the brief and structured Sources of Meaning Card Method (SoMeCaM; www.somecam.org), which has been adapted for use in dyads in a cardiac rehabilitation context. The method uses 26 cards, each representing a specific source of meaning. The dyadic format considers both the patient's and the relative's individual and shared sources of meaning in 1 session, which may enhance understanding for each other's sources of meaning and facilitate their joint daily life. They both prioritize the cards individually, reflect on them and identify possibilities for change through a talk-and-listen approach.

The conversation is facilitated by a professional (trained master students in psychology) and followed up with a phone call approximately 4 weeks after the conversation.

c) Group based intervention format

A group-based approach, where approximately 6-10 patients in rehabilitation meet for a group session.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Group based session on Sources of Meaning in life with heart disease

Intervention Type: OTHER

The intervention is based on the brief and structured Sources of Meaning Card Method (SoMeCaM; www.somecam.org), which has been adapted for use in groups in a cardiac rehabilitation context. The method uses 26 cards, each representing a specific source of meaning. Approximately 6-10 participants are guided through a process of individually prioritizing the cards, reflecting on them and identifying potential areas for change or development in smaller groups. The group-based format enables mutual sharing and support in reflection and change processes among patients.

The workshop is facilitated by a professional (trained master students in psychology) and followed up with individual phone calls with all participants approximately 4 weeks after the conversation.

Interventions

Conversation on Sources of Meaning in life with heart disease

The intervention uses the brief and structured Sources of Meaning Card Method (SoMeCaM; www.somecam.org), which has been adapted for use in cardiac rehabilitation. It explores personal sources of meaning in a conversation with one patient in a 1-hour session. It comprises 26 cards each including statements on a particular source of meaning. The patient prioritizes the cards, reflects on them, and identifies possibilities for change.

The conversation is facilitated by a professional (trained master students in psychology) and followed up with a phone call approximately 4 weeks after the conversation.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Group based session on Sources of Meaning in life with heart disease

The intervention is based on the brief and structured Sources of Meaning Card Method (SoMeCaM; www.somecam.org), which has been adapted for use in groups in a cardiac rehabilitation context. The method uses 26 cards, each representing a specific source of meaning. Approximately 6-10 participants are guided through a process of individually prioritizing the cards, reflecting on them and identifying potential areas for change or development in smaller groups. The group-based format enables mutual sharing and support in reflection and change processes among patients.

The workshop is facilitated by a professional (trained master students in psychology) and followed up with individual phone calls with all participants approximately 4 weeks after the conversation.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Dyadic Conversation on Sources of Meaning in Life with heart disease

The intervention is based on the brief and structured Sources of Meaning Card Method (SoMeCaM; www.somecam.org), which has been adapted for use in dyads in a cardiac rehabilitation context. The method uses 26 cards, each representing a specific source of meaning. The dyadic format considers both the patient's and the relative's individual and shared sources of meaning in 1 session, which may enhance understanding for each other's sources of meaning and facilitate their joint daily life. They both prioritize the cards individually, reflect on them and identify possibilities for change through a talk-and-listen approach.

The conversation is facilitated by a professional (trained master students in psychology) and followed up with a phone call approximately 4 weeks after the conversation.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• ≥18 years of age
• attending municipal cardiac rehabilitation
• proficiency in Danish

• as in A
• and having a relative who would like to participate

• ≥18 years of age
• relative to a patient attending municipal cardiac rehabilitation
• proficiency in Danish

Exclusion Criteria

• severe psychiatric disorder
• severe cognitive impairment

• as in A

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Danish Heart Foundation

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Odense Municipality, Denmark

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Southern Denmark

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Locations

Center for Sundhed og Forebyggelse

Odense, Region Syddanmark, Denmark

Sundhedskurser, Sundhedshus Vejle

Vejle, Region Syddanmark, Denmark

Countries

Denmark

Related Links

https://somecam.org/

Link to Website of the Sources of Meaning Card Method.

Other Identifiers

Grant no. 2023-12404

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

REC610

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id