TY - JOUR
T1 - The Acceptability and Usefulness of Positive Behaviour Support Education for Family Carers of People With Frontotemporal Dementia
T2 - A Pilot Study
AU - Fisher, Alinka C.
AU - Cheung, Sau C.
AU - O’Connor, Claire M.C.
AU - Piguet, Olivier
PY - 2023/1
Y1 - 2023/1
N2 - Aim: This pilot study investigated the acceptability and usefulness of 4 weekly Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) education sessions (delivered face-to-face and online) for family carers of individuals diagnosed with behavioural-variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). These sessions were adapted from the Family-directed Approach to Brain injury (FAB)-PBS program to the FTD population. Methods: A pre-test post-test mixed-methods design was utilized. Primary outcome measures included a Carer Confidence questionnaire and post-intervention Feedback Questionnaire. Assessments were conducted prior to the 4-week education program, immediately following the final session and a 3 months follow-up. Results: Ten family carers completed the 4 PBS education sessions and indicated that the program was helpful in providing behaviour support. No significant changes in confidence ratings were found before and following the education sessions. A majority of participants, however, reported positive changes to their approach in providing behaviour support, with key themes including ‘recognising the function of behaviour’, ‘changing their own behaviour’ and ‘promoting a calmer approach’. Conclusions: The FAB-PBS education sessions demonstrate to be an acceptable approach to increasing the capability of family carers in providing behaviour support to individuals with FTD, which will need to be confirmed in a larger feasibility study.
AB - Aim: This pilot study investigated the acceptability and usefulness of 4 weekly Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) education sessions (delivered face-to-face and online) for family carers of individuals diagnosed with behavioural-variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). These sessions were adapted from the Family-directed Approach to Brain injury (FAB)-PBS program to the FTD population. Methods: A pre-test post-test mixed-methods design was utilized. Primary outcome measures included a Carer Confidence questionnaire and post-intervention Feedback Questionnaire. Assessments were conducted prior to the 4-week education program, immediately following the final session and a 3 months follow-up. Results: Ten family carers completed the 4 PBS education sessions and indicated that the program was helpful in providing behaviour support. No significant changes in confidence ratings were found before and following the education sessions. A majority of participants, however, reported positive changes to their approach in providing behaviour support, with key themes including ‘recognising the function of behaviour’, ‘changing their own behaviour’ and ‘promoting a calmer approach’. Conclusions: The FAB-PBS education sessions demonstrate to be an acceptable approach to increasing the capability of family carers in providing behaviour support to individuals with FTD, which will need to be confirmed in a larger feasibility study.
KW - behaviour management
KW - behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia
KW - challenging behaviours
KW - informal carers
KW - telehealth
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85129127687&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://purl.org/au-research/grants/NHMRC/1103258
U2 - 10.1177/08919887221090214
DO - 10.1177/08919887221090214
M3 - Article
C2 - 35380488
AN - SCOPUS:85129127687
SN - 0891-9887
VL - 36
SP - 73
EP - 83
JO - Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology
JF - Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology
IS - 1
ER -