Feasibility of a Social Work Practice-Framework for Family Caregivers in Kerala, India: A Pretest-Posttest Study

Purpose: The study assessed the effectiveness of a social work intervention incorporating cognitive behavioural and family engagement strategies, in reducing depression and burden among caregivers of people with disability. Methods: The single-arm, pre-post experimental feasibility trial was tested among 47 caregivers, identified from a community in Kerala, India. The intervention employed a tiered approach, tailoring strategies of varying intensity based on caregivers’ depression severity, as assessed using standardized scales. Results: A significant decrease was observed on both outcome measures, depression and caregiver burden following the intervention. Subgroup analysis based on baseline depression severity indicated a significant decrease in depression scores among caregivers with moderate or higher levels of depression, while caregiver burden decreased across all groups. Discussions: By customizing intervention strategies based on the severity of depression, this study contributes to the theoretical understanding of how tiered interventions can be more effective than a one-size-fits-all approach.