Dignity Therapy for Patients With Early Dementia and Their Family

NCT ID: NCT03692988

Last Updated: 2021-06-15

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 54 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2018-10-01
• Study Completion Date: 2021-05-31

Brief Summary

Developed by Harvey M. Chochinov in 2005, Dignity Therapy (DT) invites individuals with life-limiting illnesses to reflect on matters of importance to them and compiles them in a narrative document for the patient to share. DT has shown to improve quality of life and a sense of dignity, as well as supporting relatives in the process of grievance. Featuring a gradual loss of memories of the past, decline of cognitive functions and awareness of self, dementia can be regarded as a life-limiting or life-changing illness, which is often accompanied by significant psychological stress. DT may help patients and their relatives reduce this stress. Yet, no studies have been conducted to determine the benefits of DT in patients with early stage dementia (ESD). This study investigates the feasibility and acceptance of DT by patients with (very) mild dementia (CDR: 0.5 - 1.5) and their relatives, as well as their overall satisfaction. This study further seeks to determine the effects of DT on sense of dignity, quality of life, dyadic coping, and levels of anxiety and depression in a randomized controlled design.

Conditions

Dementia, Mild; Depressive Disorder

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Interventiongroup

Dignity Therapy. Patients receive dignity-therapy-Intervention after randomization

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Dignity Therapy

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Dignity Therapy (DT) invites individuals with life-limiting illnesses to reflect on matters of importance to them and compiles them in a narrative document for the patient to share.

Waitinggroup

Patients receive dignity-therapy-Intervention after a waiting time of 3 months post randomization

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

Dignity Therapy

Dignity Therapy (DT) invites individuals with life-limiting illnesses to reflect on matters of importance to them and compiles them in a narrative document for the patient to share.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Signed Informed Consent
• Diagnosis of very mild dementia
• older 18 years of age
• Study partner (life partner, relative, close friend) available

Exclusion Criteria

• Unable to speak and read German
• Physical or cognitive incapacity to participate

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Waid City Hospital, Zurich

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Zurich

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Locations

University of Zurixh

Zurich, , Switzerland

Countries

Switzerland

Other Identifiers

2018-0109

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id