Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Stress Reduction in Family Carers of People Living with Dementia: A Systematic Review

Emme Chacko, Benjamin Ling, Nadav Avny, Yoram Barak, Sarah Cullum, Fred Sundram and Gary Cheung
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Emme Chacko: Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
Benjamin Ling: Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
Nadav Avny: Auckland District Health Board, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
Yoram Barak: Department of Psychological Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
Sarah Cullum: Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
Fred Sundram: Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
Gary Cheung: Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 1, 1-21

Abstract: The prevalence of dementia is increasing and the care needs of people living with dementia are rising. Family carers of people living with dementia are a high-risk group for psychological and physical health comorbidities. Mindfulness-based interventions such as mindfulness-based cognitive therapy show potential for reducing stress experienced by family carers of people living with dementia. This study aims to systematically assess the efficacy of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in reducing stress experienced by family carers of people living with dementia. Electronic databases including MEDLINE, APA PsycINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, AMED, ICTRP, and ALOIS were searched for relevant studies up to August 2020. All types of intervention studies were included. Quantitative findings were explored. Seven studies were eligible for inclusion. The analysis showed that there was a statistically significant reduction in self-rated carer stress in four studies for the mindfulness-based cognitive therapy group compared to controls. One study that was adequately powered also showed reductions in carer burden, depression, and anxiety compared to control. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy appears to be a potentially effective intervention for family carers of people living with dementia, but large, high-quality randomized controlled trials in ethnically diverse populations are required to evaluate its effectiveness.

Keywords: mindfulness; carers; dementia; stress; cognitive therapy; depression; systematic review (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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