A PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION FOR FAMILY CAREGIVERS OF PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA USING A MOBILE APPLICATION: A PILOT RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Abstract

This pilot randomized controlled trial examined the feasibility and preliminary effects of a 2-month mobile application based psycho-educational intervention to support family caregivers of patient with dementia (PWD) on caregiver burden, coping strategies, depression, gain in caregiving, severity of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) and distress caused by BPSD. A total of 40 family caregivers of PWD were recruited from a tertiary acute hospital in Singapore. Participants were randomly allocated to either control (n=21) or intervention group (n=19). The results showed that there was no significant difference in the net change of each outcome variable between groups. However, findings from within group comparisons indicated that caregivers in the intervention group reported significant reduction in perceived burden and distress arising from BPSD immediately after the intervention. The findings suggest that the mobile app-based psycho-educational intervention is a feasible approach and has potentially positive effects on caregivers of PWD.