title: Cognitive rehabilitation multi-family group intervention for individuals with mild cognitive impairment and their care-partners.
abstract: There is increasing need for early, pro-active programs that can delay dementia diagnosis and enhance well-being of individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and their care-partners (i.e., care-dyads). This randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy of a combined cognitive rehabilitation and multi-family group treatment (CR-MFG) that was designed to facilitate adoption of newly learned cognitive strategies into the care-dyads everyday lives. Analyzed data included 23 care-dyads who participated in CR-MFG treatment and 23 care-dyads in standard care (SC). The 3-month intervention consisted of individual joining sessions, an educational workshop, and 20/twice weekly multifamily memory strategy training and problem-solving sessions. Everyday functioning, memory, and psychological functioning (i.e., quality-of-life, depression, coping) were assessed. The CR-MFG intervention was associated with significant post-test group differences and improved post-test performances by the MCI participants on performance-based measures of everyday functioning and neuropsychological tests of memory. There was also some suggestion that CR-MFG care-partners perceived positive change in the everyday functioning of the MCI participants. In contrast, no post-test group differences were found for either care-dyad member on the self-report psychological measures; care-partners in the treatment group did self-report improved coping behaviors at post-test. These 3-month results are preliminary but suggestive that CR-MFG may produce modest, practical everyday functional benefits for persons with MCI.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Psychology,Washington State University,Pullman,Washington.
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmitter-Edgecombe
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Psychology,Washington State University,Spokane,Washington.
authors.forename: Dennis G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Dyck
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome