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| Research article summary (published 11 Jan 2009): |
Psychosocial treatments of psychological symptoms in dementia: a systematic review of reports meeting quality standards.
Full 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.
Author information
Author/s: O'Connor, Daniel W (DW); Ames, David (D); Gardner, Betina (B); King, Madeleine (M);
Affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. daniel.oconnor(-atsign-)med.monash.edu.au
Journal and publication information
Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Review
Journal: International psychogeriatrics / IPA (Int Psychogeriatr), published in United States. (Language: eng)
Reference: 2009-Apr; vol 21 (issue 2) : pp 241-51
Dates: Created 2009/03/20; Completed 2009/05/19;
PMID: 19138459, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 5/19/2009, IMS Date: 19 May 2009 00:00:00)
Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.
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