Comparison of the effects of two intervention programs for caregivers who assist elderly relatives: P3Es and iSupport

• Grant number: 17/24026-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: March 01, 2018
• End date: June 30, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Psychological Treatment and Prevention
• Principal Investigator: Elizabeth Joan Barham
• Grantee: Camila Rafael Ferreira Campos
• Host Institution: Centro de Educação e Ciências Humanas (CECH). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Many programs for promoting the mental health and wellbeing of those who care for the elderly have modest effects, with little evidence of long-term impacts. In this project, the objective is to progress in evaluating two programs that surpass these limitations. The "Three Cs Program" (Comprehend, Cope, Collaborate - 3CP) is a Brazilian program with strong initial results, but that needs to be further tested, and "iSupport" is currently being tested internationally, but has not yet been studied in the Brazilian context. A key difference between these two programs is that 3CP is offered in-person while iSupport is an online program. Comparing the results of each program in relation to a control group would help to evaluate the reach and efficacy of each form of support. Family caregivers who assist elderly people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) will be continuously recruited, and randomly allocated to one of three conditions (C1, C2 or C3), until 25 caregivers have been evaluated in each condition. Caregivers in C1 will receive 3CP, those in C2 will receive iSupport, and those in C3 will form a control group. Instruments will be used to evaluate: burden, symptoms of depression and anxiety, quality of life, self-efficacy, learning, problem behaviors presented by the AD patient, and the effects of the intervention scheme. All the caregivers will complete these instruments before initiating their participation (pre-test), three months later (post-test), and six months later (follow-up). Intra e inter-group comparisons will be used to examine the results obtained at these three time-points, using multiple analysis of variance for repeated measures. Positive results are expected for C1 and C2, but not for C3, and information will be gained about the strengths and limitations of each program. New information about these programs can contribute to efforts to offer quality support to caregivers who assist elderly people with AD.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

OTTAVIANI, ANA CAROLINA; MONTEIRO, DIANA QUIRINO; FERREIRA CAMPOS, CAMILA RAFAEL; BARHAM, ELIZABETH JOAN; OLIVEIRA, DEBORAH; TRINDADE DA CRUZ, KEILA CRISTIANNE; CORREA, LARISSA; ORLANDI, FABIANA DE SOUZA; ZAZZETTA, MARISA SILVANA; MARTINS GRATAO, ALINE CRISTINA; et al. ISupport-Brasil: Preliminary results of the usability and acceptability assessment by caregivers of people who have dementia. FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE, v. 9, p. 11-pg., 2022-08-18. (17/24026-0)

MONTEIRO, DIANA Q.; OTTAVIANI, ANA C.; CAMPOS, CAMILA R. F.; BARHAM, ELIZABETH J.; DE OLIVEIRA, DEBORAH C.; DA CRUZ, KEILA C. T.; PAVARINI, SOFIA C. I.; ORLANDI, FABIANA DE SOUZA; ZAZZETTA, MARISA S.; JACINTO, ALESSANDRO F.; et al. iSupport-Brasil: Cross-cultural adaptation of the content included in the iSupport program for caregivers of people who have dementia. DEMENTIA-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL RESEARCH AND PRACTICE, v. N/A, p. 17-pg., 2023-01-19. (17/24026-0)

OTTAVIANI, ANA CAROLINA; MONTEIRO, DIANA QUIRINO; OLIVEIRA, DEBORAH; GRATAO, ALINE CRISTINA MARTINS; JACINTO, ALESSANDRO FERRARI; CAMPOS, CAMILA RAFAEL FERREIRA; BARHAM, ELIZABETH JOAN; DE SOUZA ORLANDI, FABIANA; DA CRUZ, KEILA CRISTIANNE TRINDADE; CORREA, LARISSA; et al. Usability and acceptability of internet-based interventions for family carers of people living with dementia: systematic review. AGING & MENTAL HEALTH, AUG 2021. (17/24026-0)