Face‐to‐face versus telephone‐based cognitive‐behavioral therapy for family caregivers of people with dementia

Abstract

ObjectiveThe objective was to directly compare the effects and acceptability of telephone‐based (TEL‐CBT) with face‐to‐face cognitive‐behavioral therapy (F2F‐CBT) for family caregivers of people with dementia (PwD).MethodCaregivers for whom F2F participation was possible were allocated to F2F‐CBT (n = 49). The other participants were randomized to TEL‐CBT (n = 139) or CG (n = 134). CBT consisted of 12 sessions over 6 months.ResultsTEL‐CBT yielded significantly better physical health (d = 0.27) and coping with daily hassles (d = 0.38) at posttest compared to F2F‐CBT. Therapist competence, acceptability, and outcomes at follow‐up did not differ between TEL‐CBT and F2F‐CBT.ConclusionsTEL‐CBT is a valuable alternative to F2F‐CBT for family caregivers of PwD as TEL‐CBT has the advantage of higher accessibility while it does not significantly differ from F2F‐CBT in effectiveness and caregivers' evaluation of the setting, their experience with the therapist, and their satisfaction.

Telephone-Based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Caregivers of Persons with Dementia: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Our findings add to the literature by providing insights into the benefits of ACT for a heterogenous group of caregivers, as opposed to only caregivers already experiencing clinically-relevant levels of distress. Our results also extend existing evidence by showing that tbACT not only reduces depressive symptoms but also improves physical symptoms, emotional well-being, resource utilization, quality of life and coping with the care situation, effects that are potentially comparable to telephone-based CBT (Töpfer et al, 2023;Töpfer & Wilz, 2018;Wilz et al, 2018;Wilz & Soellner, 2016;Meichsner et al, 2019) and faceto-face CBT (Töpfer et al, 2022).…”

Delivery of Allied Health Interventions Using Telehealth Modalities: A Rapid Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

“…Sample sizes ranged from 17 [ 25 , 26 , 27 ] to 325 [ 28 ] participants and interventions ranged from 2 weeks [ 29 , 30 ] to 6 months [ 31 ]. Neuropsychologists provided intervention in one trial [ 26 ], occupational therapists in six trials [ 25 , 30 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 ], physiotherapists in twenty-six trials (30 reports) [ 27 , 29 , 30 , 32 , 34 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 ], psychologists in seventeen trials (19 reports) [ 28 , 31 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64...…”

“…Telehealth communication was primarily delivered via telephone [ 28 , 29 , 31 , 36 , 40 , 41 , 44 , 47 , 49 , 55 , 56 , 60 , 62 , 77 , 78 ], videoconferencing (VC) [ 26 , 27 , 30 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 43 , 46 , 48 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 61 , 63 , 64 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 79 , 80 , 81 , 82 , 83 , …”

“…Random sequence generation was reported in 32 trials. Four trials utilized location as a means of randomization [ 31 , 41 , 71 , 80 , 84 ]. Eighteen trials were at a high risk of bias due to incomplete data.…”

“…Interventions delivered by psychologists using telehealth compared with face-to-face were investigated in seventeen trials (19 reports); [ 28 , 31 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 ]. Most trials evaluated Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or components of CBT [ 28 , 31 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 69 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 75 , 77 ], or Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) [ 61 , 67 , 70 , 76 ]. Five trials delivered telehealth via telephone [ 28 , 31 , 62 , 65 , 77 ] and the remainder were via VC.…”