Benefits of psychodynamic group therapy on depression, burden and quality of life of family caregivers to Alzheimer's disease patients

Autor(es)

Kamkhagi, Dorli ^[1] ; Oliveira Costa, Ana Carolina ^[1] ; Kusminsky, Sandra ^[1] ; Supino, Deborah ^[1] ; Diniz, Breno Satler ^[2] ; Gattaz, Wagner Farid ^[1] ; Forlenza, Orestes Vicente ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med, Dept & Inst Psychiat, Lab Neurosci LIM 27, BR-05403010 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Minas Gerais, Fac Med, Dept Mental Hlth, Belo Horizonte, MG - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: ARCHIVES OF CLINICAL PSYCHIATRY; v. 42, n. 6, p. 157-160, NOV-DEC 2015.
• Citações Web of Science: 2

Resumo

Background: Family members providing continuous care to demented patients suffer from severe burden that impairs quality of life and often evolves to depression. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effect of psychodynamic group psychotherapy (PGT) compared to body awareness therapy (BAT) on caregiver burden, depressive symptoms, and quality of life among family caregivers to Alzheimer disease (AD) patients. Methods: Thirty-seven healthy family caregivers were randomly allocated to receive PGT (n = 20) or BAT (n = 17). Interventions were administered in the format of 14 weekly group sessions. Outcome measures were: modification of scores on Zarit Burden Scale, Beck Depression Inventory and WHO-QoL Scale. Results: Participants in the PGT group displayed significant reduction on burden (p = 0.01) and depression scores (p = 0.005), and improved quality of life (p = 0.002), whereas those in the BAT group showed improvements in burden of care (p - 0.001) and quality of life (p - 0.01), but not on depressive symptoms (p = 0.13). Discussion: Psychodynamic psychotherapy was associated with amelioration of depressive symptoms, but overall benefits on burden of care and quality of life were similar irrespective of the type of intervention, i.e., psychologically-oriented or not. We hypothesize that these interventions can be complementary to improve depression and burden of care among family caregivers of AD patients. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 09/52825-8 - Neurobiologia da doença de Alzheimer: marcadores de risco, prognóstico e resposta terapêutica
• Beneficiário: Wagner Farid Gattaz
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático