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Integrative Therapeutic Programme to Regulate Expressed Emotions Among Informal Caregivers of People With Dementia

ConditionsBPSD (Behavioral and Psycological Symptoms of Dementia)Expressed EmotionDepressive SymptomCaregiving Stress
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18-100
SponsorThe University of Hong Kong

About this trial

The dual-modal (face-to-face and online approaches), client-customized Caregivers Of dementia Processing Emotions (COPE) programme aims to

1. reduce caregivers' Expressed Emotion (EE), 2. reduce caregivers' depressive symptoms, 3. reduce the behaviourally interactive social dynamic of maladaptation (i.e., dysfunctional dyadic relationship and quality of care), and 4. improve caregivers' perceived stress from PwD's Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD).

Researchers will compare COPE to a control group (standard therapy) to examine how effective the COPE programme is.

Participants will take part in:

Pretest prior to COPE implementation Post-test after COPE completion Follow up test in 3 months after COPE completion

Eligibility criteria

This trial does not accept healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

(1) With a high level of EE as indicated by a cut-off score of 35 or above on the Family Attitude Scale (Chinese version; FAS-C)

(2) Provides care at least 4 hours per day

(3) Consent to participate

(4) No acute psychiatric illness

Disqualifiers

(1) With a score below 35 on the Family Attitude Scale (Chinese version; FAS-C)

(2) Provides care no more than 4 hours per day

(3) Does not consent to participate

(4) With acute psychiatric illness.

Trial design

Design model

Parallel

Treatments tested in this trial

  • Caregivers Of dementia Processing Emotions (COPE)

    Behavioral

    This is the first study to develop an easily accessible and feasible intervention programme, namely the Caregivers Of dementia Processing Emotions (COPE), to primarily reduce expressed emotion (EE) in family caregivers of PwD via processing one's attributional biases, dysregulated emotion, dysfunctional social dynamics using an integrative therapy. By displacing these negative thoughts and emotions, the integrative therapy has great potential to reduce the depressive symptoms in caregivers and thus mitigate their perceived stress from BPSD. In addition, the interactive social dynamics in the dementia caregiving context can be improved.

Treatment groups

56 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groups
Group A: COPE Intervention GroupExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: Control groupActive comparator 1 intervention

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

1

Family Attitude Scale- Chinese Version

Measure caregivers' expressed emotions (EE) (i.e., criticism and hostility) held towards the PwD.

Time frame
From enrollment to the end of intervention at 7 weeks and end of study at 20 weeks.

Secondary outcomes

1

Center of Epidemiological Studies of Depression Revised - Chinese Version

Assess caregivers' depression

Time frame
From enrollment to the end of intervention at 7 weeks and end of study at 20 weeks.
2

Dyadic Relationship Scale - Chinese Version

Evaluate caregivers' perspective of dyadic and family relationships in their daily caregiving activities

Time frame
From enrollment to the end of intervention at 7 weeks and end of study at 20 weeks.
3

Interaction Quality Scale - Chinese Version

Measure the quality of care.

Time frame
From enrollment to the end of intervention at 7 weeks and end of study at 20 weeks.
4

Neuropsychiatric Inventory - Chinese Version

Assess the severity of BPSD manifested in PwD reported by their caregivers.

Time frame
From enrollment to the end of intervention at 7 weeks and end of study at 20 weeks.

Other outcomes

Sponsors and contacts

Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.

The University of Hong Kong

Lead sponsor

Source ClinicalTrials.gov
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