Psychosocial treatments of psychological symptoms in dementia: a systematic review of reports meeting quality standards
Open accessAbstract
Background: This paper provides a systematic review of selected experimental studies of the effectiveness of psychosocial treatments in reducing psychological symptoms in dementia (e.g. anxiety, depression, irritability and social withdrawal).Method: English language reports published or in press by February 2008 were identified by means of database searches and checks of previous reviews. Reports were appraised with respect to study design, participants' characteristics and reporting details. Because people with dementia often respond positively to personal contact, studies were included only if control conditions entailed similar levels of social attention or if one treatment was compared with another.Results: Only 12 of 48 relevant papers met every specification. Treatments proved more effective in reducing psychological symptoms than an attention control condition or another treatment in only six of the 12 selected studies. Interventions with moderate effect sizes included music and recreation therapy.Conclusions: Some psychosocial interventions appear to have specific therapeutic properties, over and above those due to the benefits of participating in a clinical trial. Their effects were generally modest with an unknown duration of action. This limited efficacy suggests that treatments will work best in specific, time-limited situations, tailored to individuals' requirements. There is no preferred method to rate psychological symptoms.
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The application of the interventions to home-based support remains uncertain.
“their application to home-based support remains uncertain”
From Nonpharmacological Interventions to Reduce Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia: A Systematic Review (2015) · cites this paper as [47]
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- Authors
- O'Connor, D. W., Ames, D., Gardner, B., & King, M.
- Affiliations
- The University of Melbourne (AU)
- Monash University (AU)
- University of Technology Sydney (AU)
- Venue
- International Psychogeriatrics
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2009-04
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 241-251
- ISSN
- 1041-6102 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4234306167
- Cited by
- 126
- References
- 28
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 1.75
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- International Psychogeriatrics (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Funders
- Australian Government
- University of New South Wales
- Dementia Collaborative Research Centres, Australia
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Conservation › Art Therapy and Mental Health
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Geriatric Care and Nursing Homes
- Keywords
- dementia, psychosocial interventions, psychological symptoms, anxiety, depression, irritability, social withdrawal, music therapy, therapeutic recreation, treatment effectiveness
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