Couples Coping With Alzheimer's Disease
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of a new couples counseling intervention for people recently diagnosed with early Alzheimer's disease and their spouses. The study hypothesis is that counseling the couple shortly after the diagnosis, and while the functional impact of the illness is still relatively mild, will have a significant impact on their ability to provide support for each other.
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
Detailed Description
The majority of people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) live at home with their spouses. AD erodes the ability of each member of the couple to support each other. Moreover, couples may be unaccustomed to seeking or accepting emotional and practical support from family members or formal resources. Even though AD can have a major negative impact on each member of the couple and on their relationship, their needs have generally been addressed separately, often without sufficient appreciation for the importance of their ongoing relationship. Previous studies suggest that by improving support for both members of the couple, the intervention will have a positive effect on mental health outcomes such as depression and help keep the person with AD at home rather than in a long-term care facility.
One hundred couples will be randomly assigned either to an immediate treatment group or a wait-list control group which will receive treatment four months after enrollment. Participants will receive a formal baseline assessment, consisting of a structured set of questionnaires to assess dyadic (couple) adjustment, social support, depression and anxiety as well as goals for counseling. There will be two follow-up assessments, 2 and 4 months after baseline using the same instruments. All participants will be able to call a counselor for the duration of the study to obtain resource and referral information or in the event of a crisis. The treatment will consist of 6 sessions of couples counseling within a 2-month period. The focus will be on helping each member of the couple to express feelings, needs and issues that have emerged between them as a result of the diagnosis.
Study Design
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Changes in dyadic (couple) adjustment []
- depression []
Secondary Outcome Measures
- Level of anxiety []
- satisfaction with social support []
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
-
Couples, in which one partner has been diagnosed with AD and is in the mild stage of the disease
-
Ages 21 to 90
Exclusion Criteria:
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Severe psychological or physical illness
-
Unwillingness to participate in all aspects of the study
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aging and Dementia Research Center, Silberstein Institute, NYU School of Medicine | New York | New York | United States | 10016 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- Alzheimer's Association
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Mary S. Mittelman, DrPH, NYU School of Medicine
Study Documents (Full-Text)
None provided.More Information
Publications
- Auclair U, Epstein C, Mittelman M. Couples Counseling in Alzheimer's Disease: Additional Clinical Findings from a Novel Intervention Study. Clin Gerontol. 2009 Apr 1;32(2):130-146.
- Gallagher-Thompson D, Dal Canto PG, Jacob T, Thompson LW. A comparison of marital interaction patterns between couples in which the husband does or does not have Alzheimer's disease. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2001 May;56(3):S140-50.
- Morrissey MV. Rethinking the benefits of an adapted version of 'Alzheimer Café' for individuals with Alzheimer's and their partners. Int J Psychiatr Nurs Res. 2006 Sep;12(1):1393-401. Review.
- Robinson L, Clare L, Evans K. Making sense of dementia and adjusting to loss: psychological reactions to a diagnosis of dementia in couples. Aging Ment Health. 2005 Jul;9(4):337-47.
- IA0103
- ZEN-04-1011