The DOI matches its Crossref record; 101 of the 102 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Psychological Interventions for Dementia Caregivers: What We Have Achieved, What We Have Learned
Open accessAbstract
With the rising dementia population, more and more programs have been developed to help caregivers deal with the care-recipient as well as their own frustrations. Many interventions aim to enhance caregiver's ability to manage behavior problems and other deteriorations in functioning, with less direct emphasis placed on caring for the caregivers. We argue that techniques based on psychotherapy are strategically important in assistance provided to caregivers because of their utility for promoting emotional health. This article provides a focused review of such methods used in evidence-based intervention programs, along with the mechanisms of change associated with these methods. While cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has a strong evidence base, there is also a growing trend to package CBT techniques into various psychoeducational programs. These programs, which we call psychoeducation with psychotherapeutic programs, have been consistently found to be effective in reducing caregiver distress and are suited for delivery in group format, even by paraprofessionals, to lower the cost of intervention. A recent trend is the effective use of technological aids (e.g., the internet) to deliver CBT and psychoeducation, reaching more caregivers. As for therapeutic mechanisms, the use of coping skills, reduced dysfunctional thoughts, and increased self-efficacy in controlling upsetting thoughts has received support in studies. We conclude that psychotherapeutic techniques are increasingly being used effectively and efficiently to assist caregivers, aided by successful adaptation for educational or technologically advanced means of delivery. More research on therapeutic mechanisms is needed to understand how the techniques work and how they can be further refined.
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“CBT is less effective at addressing ADRD caregiver anxiety or suffering (Cheng et al., 2019; Cooper, Balamurali, Selwood, et al., 2007; Gitlin et al., 2015; Olazarán & et al., 2010; Walter & Pinquart, 2020).”
From Feasibility and acceptability of a telephone-based ACT intervention for caregivers (TACTICs) of adults with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD): a randomized pilot during the COVID-19 pandemic. (2025) · cites this paper as Cheng et al., 2019
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“A recent review of mainstream psychoeducation for caregivers reported that self-efficacy predicted positive outcomes [44]”
From Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Caregivers of Frail Older Chinese Adults: A Study Protocol (2022) · cites this paper as [44]
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Sun, Y., Ji, M., Leng, M., Li, X., Zhang, X., & Wang, Z. (2022) · International Journal of Nursing Studies · doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2022.104204 · Cited by 176
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Self-citationBaruah, U., Varghese, M., Loganathan, S., Mehta, K. M., Gallagher-Thompson, D. E., Zandi, D., Dua, T., & Pot, A. M. (2021) · International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry · doi:10.1002/gps.5502 · Cited by 142
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Conceptual Framework to Guide Intervention Research Across the Trajectory of Dementia Caregiving
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Metadata
- Authors
- Cheng, S.-T., Au, A., Losada, A., Thompson, L. W., & Gallagher-Thompson, D.
- Affiliations
- University of East Anglia (GB)
- Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HK)
- Stanford Medicine (US)
- Corresponding author
- Cheng, Sheung-Tak
- Venue
- Current Psychiatry Reports
- Published
- 2019-06-06
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 59-59
- ISSN
- 1523-3812 (ISSN-L)
- 1535-1645
- PMC
- PMC6554248
- OpenAlex
- W2948632526
- Cited by
- 281
- References
- 102
- Citations by year
- 2026: 27 · 2025: 43 · 2024: 52 · 2023: 34 · 2022: 48 · 2021: 56 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 4
- FWCI
- 5.21
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Locations
- Current Psychiatry Reports (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UEA Digital Repository (University of East Anglia) (acceptedVersion)
- PolyU Institutional Research Archive (Hong Kong Polytechnic University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- University of East Anglia
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Research and Theory › Nursing care and research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Family Caregiving in Mental Illness
- Keywords
- dementia caregivers, caregiver distress, psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, psychoeducation, group intervention, online intervention, mechanisms of change, coping strategies, self-efficacy, dysfunctional thoughts, behavioral symptoms of dementia
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Dementia, Depression, Humans, Learning, Stress, Psychological, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Caregivers, Self Efficacy
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