title: ["EduKation demenz®". Psychoeducative training program for relatives of people with dementia].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  During the course of dementia there is frequently a decline in the quality of interpersonal relationships between the patient and the family caregivers. This is mainly caused by a very critical attitude of the family caregiver to the patient and by the limited ability of the family caregiver to empathically communicate with the patient. This relational disorder significantly contributes to the perceived burden of the family caregiver.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was carried out to investigate whether the ability of family caregivers to empathically communicate can be strengthened, their emotional attitude towards the patient can be improved and their perceived burden and symptoms of depression can be reduced through a special communication-oriented psychoeducational intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Within the framework of a controlled study for confounding factors 121 family caregivers participated in a 10-week group intervention "EduKation demenz®," whereas the 93 family caregivers of the control group received detailed self-help literature. The before and after surveys were conducted using a standardized questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to the control group the intervention group displayed a statistically significant difference in all target parameters: more empathic communication with the patient (confounder-controlled difference of change in the intervention group versus control group  0.69, p = 0.023), a less critical attitude towards the patient (confounder-controlled difference of change in the intervention group versus control group 2.11, p = 0.027), reduction in the perceived burden from disrupted communication (confounder-controlled difference of change in the intervention group versus control group  1.76, p = 0.038) and decreased symptoms of depression for caregivers with ≥ 33 points in the general depression scale (ADS-K, p = 0.028).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Family caregivers of people with dementia clearly did not benefit from direct information transfer through the extensive offer of self-help literature to the same extent as the psychoeducational group intervention.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Paderborn, Katholische Hochschule Nordrhein-Westfalen (KatHO NRW), Leostr. 19, 33098, Paderborn, Deutschland. s.engel@katho-nrw.de.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Engel
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Paderborn, Katholische Hochschule Nordrhein-Westfalen (KatHO NRW), Leostr. 19, 33098, Paderborn, Deutschland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reiter-Jäschke
authors.affiliation: Institut für Medizininformatik, Biometrie und Epidemiologie (IMBE), Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nürnberg, Deutschland.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hofner
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003479:Curriculum; D003704:Dementia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D003863:Depression / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011584:Psychology / Q000193:education; D012944:Social Support
keywords: Chronical Burden; Communication; Dementia; Family caregiver; Interventional study