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Psychosocial treatments of psychological symptoms in dementia: a systematic review of reports meeting quality standards

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 January 2009

Daniel W. O'Connor ,
David Ames ,
Betina Gardner  and
Madeleine King
Daniel W. O'Connor*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
David Ames
Affiliation:
National Ageing Research Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
Betina Gardner
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
Madeleine King
Affiliation:
Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Professor Daniel O'Connor, Aged Mental Health Research Unit, Kingston Centre, Warrigal Road, Cheltenham, Victoria 3192, Australia. Phone: +61 (03) 9265 1700; Fax: +61 (03) 9265 1711. Email: daniel.oconnor@med.monash.edu.au.
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Abstract

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.

Keywords

dementiaanxietydepressiontreatmentevidencesystematic review
Type
Review Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 21 , Issue 2 , April 2009 , pp. 241 - 251
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2009

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