UNLABELLED: Among the diverse group of interventions developed to help dementia family caregivers cognitive-behavioural approaches show especially promising results. OBJECTIVES: This study describes a cognitive-behavioural group intervention aimed principally at the modification of dysfunctional thoughts associated with caregiving (MDTC). The efficacy of the MDTC intervention in reducing caregivers' depressive symptomatology, together with the frequency and appraisal of problem behaviours, is compared to that of a waiting-list control group (WL). Furthermore, the potential mediating role of the dysfunctional thoughts in the relationship between this intervention and caregivers' depressive symptomatology is analyzed. Of the 74 dementia caregivers who were randomized to one of two conditions (MDTC and WL), 39 completed the post-intervention assessment. Statistical analyses were performed on an intention-to-treat basis, using last observation carried forward. The results reveal that the MDTC intervention is successful in reducing caregivers' level of depressive symptomatology and dysfunctional thoughts about caregiving, as well as in modifying their appraisal of their relative's problem behaviours. Furthermore, a mediating role for dysfunctional thoughts was found in the relationship between the MDTC intervention and levels of depressive symptomatology. The relevance of addressing dysfunctional thoughts and cognitive distortions in group interventions with caregivers is highlighted.
RCT Entities:
UNLABELLED: Among the diverse group of interventions developed to help dementia family caregivers cognitive-behavioural approaches show especially promising results. OBJECTIVES: This study describes a cognitive-behavioural group intervention aimed principally at the modification of dysfunctional thoughts associated with caregiving (MDTC). The efficacy of the MDTC intervention in reducing caregivers' depressive symptomatology, together with the frequency and appraisal of problem behaviours, is compared to that of a waiting-list control group (WL). Furthermore, the potential mediating role of the dysfunctional thoughts in the relationship between this intervention and caregivers' depressive symptomatology is analyzed. Of the 74 dementia caregivers who were randomized to one of two conditions (MDTC and WL), 39 completed the post-intervention assessment. Statistical analyses were performed on an intention-to-treat basis, using last observation carried forward. The results reveal that the MDTC intervention is successful in reducing caregivers' level of depressive symptomatology and dysfunctional thoughts about caregiving, as well as in modifying their appraisal of their relative's problem behaviours. Furthermore, a mediating role for dysfunctional thoughts was found in the relationship between the MDTC intervention and levels of depressive symptomatology. The relevance of addressing dysfunctional thoughts and cognitive distortions in group interventions with caregivers is highlighted.
Authors: Emiliano Rodríguez-Sánchez; Sara Mora-Simón; Nieves Porras-Santos; Maria C Patino-Alonso; José I Recio-Rodríguez; Concepción Becerro-Muñoz; Diana Pérez-Arechaederra; Manuel A Gomez-Marcos; Luis Garcia-Ortiz Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2010-09-17 Impact factor: 3.295
Authors: Bruno Kajiyama; Larry W Thompson; Tamiko Eto-Iwase; Mio Yamashita; John Di Mario; Yuan Marian Tzuang; Dolores Gallagher-Thompson Journal: Aging Ment Health Date: 2013-03-06 Impact factor: 3.658
Authors: Miguel Madruga; Margarita Gozalo; Josué Prieto; José Carmelo Adsuar; Narcis Gusi Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-02-08 Impact factor: 3.390