title: The Effectiveness of a Culturally Sensitive Cognitive Behavioral Group Intervention for Latino Alzheimer's Caregivers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Demographic projections suggest that the older Latino population will experience the fastest growth among all racial/ethnic groups; and by 2050 will constitute 20% of the nation's seniors. Yet, Latino Alzheimer's elders and their families remain underrepresented in the health care system and caregiver intervention studies. To address this gap, this study tested the effectiveness of Circulo de Cuidado, a culturally-sensitive, cognitive behavioral (CBT) group intervention, in supporting Latino families' ability to manage the disease's neuropsychiatric symptoms and improve caregiver well-being.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a randomized controlled trial design, 67 caregivers were assigned to the CBT experimental condition or the psychoeducational (PED) control condition and interviewed at baseline, post-group, and 3 months follow-up. The 2 manualized interventions had the same structure: 5 weekly 90-minute group sessions, followed by telephone coaching at 3, 6, 9 and 12 weeks post-group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Repeated measures analysis of covariance revealed significant group by time interaction effects. Compared with the PED participants, CBT participants reported lower neuropsychiatric symptoms in their relative, less caregiver distress about neuropsychiatric symptoms, a greater sense of caregiver self-efficacy, and less depressive symptoms over time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings offer preliminary evidence that a culturally tailored, CBT group intervention targeted toward neuropsychiatric symptom management has positive psychological benefits for Latino caregivers.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, Boston University, Massachusetts. jgonyea@bu.edu.
authors.forename: Judith G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Gonyea
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, Boston University, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Luz M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: López
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, Boston University, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Esther H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Velásquez
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012944:Social Support
keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; Caregiver stress; Caregiving—informal; Cultural competence practice; Intervention; Latino/a; Psychosocial