title: Development and pilot evaluation of a psychosocial intervention program for patients with age-related macular degeneration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The psychosocial needs of patients suffering from severe visual loss associated with advanced age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) are generally ignored in the clinical routine. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a psychosocial intervention program for ARMD patients. This intervention program was based on six modules carried out in five weekly group sessions. These modules included (a) progressive muscle relaxation; (b) exchange of disease-related experiences; (c) understanding the connections among thought, emotion, and behavior; (d) description of and emphasis on the use of available resources; (e) improvement of general problem-solving skills, and (f) information exchange on ARMD-related treatment and rehabilitation options.
  
  
  METHODS
  A preliminary evaluation of this intervention program was performed with the aid of a preintervention-postintervention comparison-group research design, which included 14 individuals (mean age of 73.1 years) in the interventional group and 8 participants (mean age of 72.6 years) in the comparison group. The preintervention-postintervention assessment addressed a set of emotional (e.g., positive and negative affect) as well as behavioral (e.g., limitations to activities and instrumental activities of daily living) outcome measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although the sample size of the pilot evaluation test was small, our results demonstrate the usefulness of this pilot program. A statistical analysis comparing the interventional group with the comparison group revealed that the intervention group benefited from the program in five out of six outcome measures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychosocial group intervention is a promising approach to improve the quality of life in patients suffering from ARMD.
authors.affiliation: German Center for Research on Aging at the University of Heidelberg, Bergheimer Strausse 20, Heidelberg, D-69115, Germany. wahl@dzfa.uni-heidelberg.de.
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Birk
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hickl
authors.forename: Hans-Werner
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Wahl
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kämmerer
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Holz
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Hans E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Völcker
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric