The necessity for sustainable intervention effects: lessons-learned from an experience sampling intervention for spousal carers of people with dementia

• Published in: Aging & mental health 2020-12, Vol.24 (12), p.2082-2093
• Main Authors: Bartels, Sara Laureen, van Knippenberg, Rosalia J. M., Köhler, Sebastian, Ponds, Rudolf W., Myin-Germeys, Inez, Verhey, Frans R. J., de Vugt, Marjolein E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anxiety; Careers; Caregivers; Caregiving; carer; Competence; Complaints; Dementia; Dementia disorders; Ecological momentary assessment; experience sampling method; Feedback; Intervention; Mental depression; mHealth intervention; Monitoring; Psychological distress; Psychosocial factors; Psychosocial intervention; Sampling; Sampling methods; Selfmonitoring; Stress; Sustainability; Telemedicine; Well being
• ISSN: 1360-7863; 1364-6915
• DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2019.1647130

Caring for a person with dementia can be challenging over the years. To support family carers throughout their entire caregiving career, interventions with a sustained effectivity are needed. A novel 6-week mobile health (mHealth) intervention using the experience sampling method (ESM) showed positive effects on carers' well-being over a period of 2 months after the intervention. In this study, the effects after 6 months of the selfsame intervention were examined to evaluate the sustainability of positive intervention effects. The 6-week mHealth intervention consisted of an experimental group (ESM self-monitoring and personalized feedback), a pseudo-experimental group (ESM self-monitoring without feedback), and a control group (providing regular care without ESM self-monitoring or feedback). Carers' sense of competence, mastery, and psychological complaints (depression, anxiety and perceived stress) were evaluated pre- and post-intervention as well as at two follow-up time points. The present study focuses on the 6-month follow-up data (n = 50). Positive intervention effects on sense of competence, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms were not sustained over 6-month follow-up. The benefits of this mHealth intervention for carers of people living with dementia were not sustained over a long time. Similarly, other psychosocial interventions for carers of people with dementia rarely reported long-lasting effects. In order to sustainably contribute to carers' well-being, researchers and clinicians should continuously ensure flexible adjustment of the intervention and consider additional features such as ad-hoc counseling options and booster sessions. In this regard, mHealth interventions can offer ideally suited and unique opportunities.