title: Personalised caregiver support: effectiveness of psychosocial interventions in subgroups of caregivers of people with dementia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Insight into the characteristics of caregivers for whom psychosocial interventions are effective is important for care practice. Until now no systematic reviews were conducted into the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for caregiver subgroups.
  
  
  METHODS
  To gain insight into this relationship between caregiver subgroups and intervention outcomes, a first review study was done. This study reviews the personal characteristics of caregivers of people with dementia for whom psychosocial interventions were effective.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Electronic databases and key articles were searched for reviews on psychosocial interventions for caregivers studies published between January 1990 and February 2008. Based on these reviews, twenty-six studies met the inclusion criteria (i.e. having positive outcomes described in subgroups). Most positive effects were found in caregivers of people with a diagnosis of 'dementia not otherwise specified' and in the subgroup of female caregivers. Examples of outcomes were decreased depression and improved self-efficacy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study gives a first overview of successful psychosocial interventions in subgroups of caregivers of people with dementia. It makes clear that until now, relatively little research has been done into subgroups of these caregivers. It also suggests that more research is needed to better understand which psychosocial interventions are effective for specific subgroups of caregivers of people with dementia.
authors.affiliation: VU University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, Alzheimer Center, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, Valeriusplein 9, 1075 BG Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lisa D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Van Mierlo
authors.forename: Franka J M
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Meiland
authors.forename: Henriëtte G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Van der Roest
authors.forename: Rose-Marie
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Dröes
mesh_terms: D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D003376:Counseling; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing*; D006801:Humans; D011613:Psychotherapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D012144:Respite Care; D012944:Social Support