Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (talking therapy) for Alzheimer's Carers

Completed

Conditions: Psychological distress in Alzheimer's carers
Mental and Behavioural Disorders
Psychological distress

Registration Number: ISRCTN77610095

Lead Sponsor: eeds Partnerships NHS Foundation Trust (UK)

Brief Summary: Not available

Detailed Description: Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: Completed

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 40

Inclusion Criteria

1. Primary carer of an individual with Alzheimer's disease
2. Willing to engage actively in 10 - 12 weekly therapy sessions, over a three month period
3. Willing to complete self report questionnaires before treatment starts, at three months and six months after entering the study
4. Aged 18 - 90 years, either sex

Exclusion Criteria

1. Carers not fluent in English (due to nature of the treatment)
2. Evidence of cognitive impairment, assessed as a Mini-Mental State Examination score of less than 26/30
3. Currently prescribed certain psychotropic medication, i.e., antipsychotics, mood stabilisers, hypnotics and sedatives. Those receiving antidepressants will not be excluded
4. The person they care for with Alzheimer's disease is under 65 (pre-senile dementia)

Study & Design

Study Type: Interventional

Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
12 sessions of CBT will significantly reduce the Geriatric Depression Scale scores in carers of patients with Alzheimer's disease, in comparison with a group receiving treatment as usual. For the Geriatric Depression Rating Scale (GDS) an improvement of a score out of 15 will be measured, where a score greater than 5 indicates probable depression. <br><br>These measures will be taken in all participants (treatment and control groups), prior to start of treatment, after 3/12 and again after 6/12 of start of treatment, thus T0, T3 and T6. These scores will then be compared to detect within participant and between group differences at three different time points.

Secondary Outcome Measures