Are psychotherapeutic effects on family caregivers of people with dementia sustainable? Two-year long-term effects of a telephone-based cognitive behavioral intervention

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Evaluation of long-term effects of an individualized short-term telephone intervention (seven sessions), based on a comprehensive cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach. The study goal was to evaluate the maintenance of intervention effects regarding well-being, quality of life, and health at two years post treatment.

Method: Participants (n = 105) were (partly) randomized after baseline assessment in a two-arm study (intervention, control group/usual care). Depressive symptoms were assessed with the German version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Caregivers’ physical complaints were measured with the Gießener Beschwerdebogen (GBB-24), and quality of life with the World Health Organization quality of life -BREF (WHOQOL-BREF). Emotional well-being and perceived health status were assessed using thermometer scaling. Data were analyzed by intention-to-treat analyses, including for those who terminated the intervention prematurely but still delivered data, using ANCOVAs.

Results: Long-term intervention effects were found for emotional well-being (p = 0.019). For the subgroup of caregivers who were still caring at home at follow-up, the intervention led to an increased health status (p = 0.023), fewer bodily complaints (global measure p= 0.014, rheumatic pain p = 0.027, heart trouble p = 0.042), and a higher quality of life (overall p = 0.044 and subscale environment p = 0.030).

Conclusion: The short-term CBT intervention via telephone showed long-term effects two years after treatment on emotional well-being, health status, bodily complaints, and quality of life.

KEYWORDS:

• Long-term evaluation
• cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• family caregiving
• dementia
• telephone intervention

Acknowledgments

The study was supported by a grant from the German Federal Ministry of Health (LTDEMENZ-44-092). The authors thank the family caregivers who participated in the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

German Federal Ministry of Health [grant number LTDEMENZ-44-092].