title: The impact of psychotic symptoms on the persons with dementia experiencing them.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To portray the emotional and behavioral reactions of persons with dementia to the delusions and hallucinations they experience, according to the reports of their family caregivers. The article also explores the relationship between those reactions and background variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study participants were family caregivers of 74 older persons with a diagnosis of dementia (aged ≥ 65) residing in the community recruited from adult day centers and support groups for caregivers of persons with dementia and by advertising online. Assessments included the Behavioral Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease, the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, the Etiological Assessment of Psychotic Symptoms in Dementia, Activities of Daily Living questionnaire, and the Mini-Mental State Examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Findings concerning emotional reactions reveal that close to half of the delusions resulted in discomfort, whereas around 40% did not. We found significant differences in the discomfort associated with different types of delusions, with delusions of abandonment, danger, and infidelity associated with more discomfort than other delusions. Around half of the delusions were associated with a behavioral manifestation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings highlight the need to examine the emotional impact of delusions and hallucinations as part of their assessment and as a consideration in treatment decisions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion, School of Public Health, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Minerva Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of End of Life, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; The Herczeg Institute on Aging, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. Electronic address: Jiska@post.tau.ac.il.
authors.forename: Jiska
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cohen-Mansfield
authors.affiliation: The Herczeg Institute on Aging, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Rinat
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: The Herczeg Institute on Aging, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Hava
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Golander
authors.affiliation: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Margoletz Psychogeriatric Center, Ichilov Hospital, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Jeremia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heinik
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers; D003702:Delusions / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
keywords: delusions; dementia; emotional and behavioral reactions; hallucinations; psychosis