Psychosocial Approaches for Behavioural Disorders in Dementia

A systematic review 1 including 43 studies was abstracted in DARE. The methodological quality of the studies was poor. There was some evidence to support the use of activity programs, music, behaviour therapy, light therapy, carer education and changes to the physical environment.

A systematic review 2 including 19 studies with a total of over 1000 subjects was abstracted in DARE. The authors conclude that there is some evidence that multi-sensory stimulation/Snoezelen room reduces apathy in people in the latter stages of dementia, while there is limited evidence that behavioural therapy reduces depression and psychomotor therapy groups reduce aggression in people diagnosed with probable Alzheimer's disease.

Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by study quality (poor quality of original studies), by indirectness (differences in studied interventions and outcomes), and by imprecise results (limited study size for each comparison).

References

• Opie J, Rosewarne R, O'Connor DW. The efficacy of psychosocial approaches to behaviour disorders in dementia: a systematic literature review. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 1999 Dec;33(6):789-99. [PubMed] [DARE]
• Verkaik R, van Weert JC, Francke AL. The effects of psychosocial methods on depressed, aggressive and apathetic behaviors of people with dementia: a systematic review. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2005 Apr;20(4):301-14. [PubMed][DARE]