title: Dementia caregivers' coping with pre-death grief: effects of a CBT-based intervention.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pre-death grief plays a significant role in dementia caregiving, and has adverse impacts on caregivers. It was the purpose of the present study to examine whether a cognitive-behavioral intervention including a grief intervention module could increase caregivers' coping with pre-death grief and whether these effects could be maintained as of a six-month follow-up assessment.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a randomized-controlled trial examining the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral intervention, 273 caregivers were allocated to either an intervention or control group. Intervention group participants received 12 therapy sessions over six months; all participants completed a measure of pre-death grief. The analysis was conducted using latent change models. In the first model, study group was included as a predictor of change in pre-death grief; subsequent models also included care situation and sociodemographic variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The burden due to pre-death grief was reduced for intervention but not control group participants at the time of the six-month follow-up assessment (Cohen's d = -0.361). When controlling for changes in the care situation and sociodemographic variables, the treatment effect was also found in the assessment completed post intervention (Cohen's d = -0.248).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results indicate that a cognitive-behavioral intervention including grief-specific strategies can successfully foster caregivers' coping with loss and reduce burden of pre-death grief.
authors: a Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Institute of Psychology , Friedrich Schiller University Jena , Jena , Germany.
authors: Franziska
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7227-1905
authors: F
authors: Meichsner
authors: a Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Institute of Psychology , Friedrich Schiller University Jena , Jena , Germany.
authors: Gabriele
authors: G
authors: Wilz
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D001293:Attitude to Death; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005581:Foster Home Care / Q000523:psychology; D006117:Grief; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000523:psychology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Caregiving and intervention; cognitive behavioral therapy; dementia and cognitive disorders; loss; mental health caregiving