Sustained benefit of supportive intervention for depressive symptoms in caregivers of patients with alzheimer's disease

Citation Mittelman, M. S., Roth, D. L., Coon, D. W., & Haley, W. E. (2004). Sustained benefit of supportive intervention for depressive symptoms in caregivers of patients with alzheimer's disease. American Journal of Psychiatry, 161 (5), 850-856.

Design Experiment

Purpose In this study the long-term effect of counseling on cg depression was investigated.

Hypothesis It was hypothesized that the intervention will alleviate depressive symptoms in caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Participants N=406 caregivers, spouses of patients with Alzheimer's disease living at home, randomly assigned to treatment and control groups.

Outcome / Dependent Variables Caregiver depressive symptoms

Procedure Participants in the treatment group were provided with 6 sessions of individual and family counseling, agreed to join support groups and received ongoing counseling. The Geriatric Depression Scale was used to measure caregiver depression at baseline and at regular intervals.

Outcomes Participants in the treatment group showed significantly fewer depressive symptoms post intervention.

Author Mittelman, M. S., Roth, D. L., Coon, D. W., & Haley, W. E.