Taḥqīqāt-i ̒Ulūm-i Raftārī (Dec 2016)
The Effectiveness of Communication Skills Training on Caregiving Burden and Quality of Life among Family Caregivers of Elderly with Dementia
Abstract
Aim and Background: Caring for patients with dementia is considered as the most difficult and challenging type of care and leads to increased caregiving burden and reduced quality of life (QOL) among caregivers. This research aimed to determine the effect of communication skills training on caregiving burden and QOL among family caregivers of elderly with dementia. Methods and Materials: This Quasi-experimental study was conducted with pretest-posttest design and a control group. The subjects were selected through convenience sampling method. Therefore, 30 subjects were chosen randomly and assigned to control and experimental groups (each with 15 subjects). The data collection tools consisted of the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI) and Caregivers’ Quality of Life Questionnaire. The questionnaires were completed by the participants in the pretest, posttest, and follow-up stages. The experimental group subjects received communication skills training in 7 sessions lasting 60 minutes. The collected data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA in SPSS software. Findings: Communication skills training resulted in reduced caregiving burden and increased QOL in caregivers in the in experimental group in the posttest and follow-up stages. Conclusions: The results emphasize the importance of the use of these interventions in terms of caregiving burden and QOL in family caregivers of elderly with dementia. The results show that this intervention can be used as an appropriate intervention method.
