WELLDEM: Adapting Positive Psychotherapy for Dementia
Research type
Research Study
Full title
WELLDEM: Adapting Positive Psychotherapy for Dementia
IRAS ID
238867
Contact name
Arlene Astell
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 0 days
Research summary
WELLDEM is a feasibility pilot project that aims to examine the effect of Positive Psychotherapy (PPT) on well-being with people who suffer from dementia.
The number of individuals living with dementia in the UK is set to rise to over 1 million by 2025 (Alzheimer’s Society, 2017). Currently there are no psychotherapeutic interventions available to equip those who receive a diagnosis to adjust and live with the condition. Using PPT to increase well-being in people living with dementia could potentially delay demands on healthcare services, and family members by increasing resilience and life satisfaction. PPT recognises well-being as a central component of recovery by focusing on personal strengths as opposed to treating negative symptoms. It was originally developed for people affected by common mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety, and has since been adapted and proven effective for individuals with psychosis (Slade et al., 2013).
PPT is carried out in group sessions with content focusing on techniques such as; Identifying and developing strengths, Identifying 3 good things each day, and gratitude. WELLDEM is an opportunity to modify existing PPT for the population with dementia. Two focus groups will be held to discuss session content; with people living with dementia, and with members of the Older Adult Mental Health team. A Clinical Psychologist and an Assistant Psychologist will facilitate 10 weekly group sessions containing 8 adults who have a recent diagnosis of dementia. Participants will be recruited from the Wokingham Memory Clinic. Participants will be assessed once before and once after the overall intervention, using the Shorter Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (SWEMWBS) and the Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Scale (QOL-AD), to gage any change in wellbeing. A focus group will then be held with participants at the end of the study to gage acceptability, strengths and weaknesses of the intervention.REC name
South Central - Berkshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/SC/0196
Date of REC Opinion
17 May 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion