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Dementia caregivers' coping with pre-death grief: effects of a CBT-based intervention
Objectives: Pre-death grief plays a significant role in dementia caregiving, and has adverse impacts on caregivers. It was the purpose of the present study to examine whether a cognitive-behavioral intervention including a grief intervention module could increase caregivers' coping with pre-dea...
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Published in: | Aging & mental health 2018-02, Vol.22 (2), p.218-225 |
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Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Subjects: | |
Citations: | Items that this one cites Items that cite this one |
Online Access: | Get full text |
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Summary: | Objectives: Pre-death grief plays a significant role in dementia caregiving, and has adverse impacts on caregivers. It was the purpose of the present study to examine whether a cognitive-behavioral intervention including a grief intervention module could increase caregivers' coping with pre-death grief and whether these effects could be maintained as of a six-month follow-up assessment.
Method: In a randomized-controlled trial examining the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral intervention, 273 caregivers were allocated to either an intervention or control group. Intervention group participants received 12 therapy sessions over six months; all participants completed a measure of pre-death grief. The analysis was conducted using latent change models. In the first model, study group was included as a predictor of change in pre-death grief; subsequent models also included care situation and sociodemographic variables.
Results: The burden due to pre-death grief was reduced for intervention but not control group participants at the time of the six-month follow-up assessment (Cohen's d = −0.361). When controlling for changes in the care situation and sociodemographic variables, the treatment effect was also found in the assessment completed post intervention (Cohen's d = −0.248).
Conclusion: Results indicate that a cognitive-behavioral intervention including grief-specific strategies can successfully foster caregivers' coping with loss and reduce burden of pre-death grief. |
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ISSN: | 1360-7863 1364-6915 |
DOI: | 10.1080/13607863.2016.1247428 |