title: Stress in caregivers of aphasic stroke patients: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Communication difficulties due to aphasia following stroke are particularly stressful to caregivers.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the impact of a psychoeducation programme on caregivers' burden and stress and communication between the caregiver and aphasic stroke patient.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized wait-list controlled trial with immediate or three-month delayed treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three public hospital rehabilitation services in Sydney, Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine caregivers of aphasic stroke patients, up to 12 months post stroke: 19 given immediate treatment and 20 in a delayed treatment control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four-session weekly caregiver programme that included elements of education, support and communication skills conducted by a speech pathologist, social worker and clinical psychologist.
  
  
  METHODS
  The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) was used to measure caregiver stress, the Relatives' Stress Scale was used to measure caregiver burden and a communication questionnaire was designed specifically for this project.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-one caregivers completed the study. Caregivers in the immediate treatment group had significant reductions in GHQ measured stress (GHQ mean (SD) at baseline= 6.26 (5.67), GHQ post treatment 3.21 (SD 4.20), P = 0.006). There was no improvement in wait-listed caregivers. Improvement was not maintained at three-month follow-up. There were no significant effects of the programme on communication skills or on caregiver burden.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stroke caregiver support, education and training programmes have short-term effects on caregiver stress levels but are likely to require ongoing involvement to maintain their effect.
authors.affiliation: Academic Department for Old Age Psychiatry, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney and Department of Psychiatry and School of Public Health & Community Medicine, University Of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. b.draper@unsw.edu.au
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Draper
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bowring
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Jocelyn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Heyst
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Conroy
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thompson
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D001037:Aphasia / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003858:Dependency, Psychological; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014850:Waiting Lists