Psychosocial interventions to increase social participation for people with dementia living in the community: A systematic review

Abstract Less social participation may cause adverse outcomes for people with dementia, but it remains unclear whether existing interventions are effective. We therefore systematically identified interventions aiming to improve social participation for community‐dwelling people with dementia. Across 15 controlled trials ( n = 1965) comprising nine (60%) full trials and six (40%) feasibility/pilot studies testing six intervention types, we found only one study with any efficacy. It reported that using social robots in a group setting had an immediate effect in reducing loneliness. A single high‐quality rehabilitation study reported no benefits. Interventions incorporating physical activity, cognitive and art‐based therapies showed inconsistent findings, limiting firm conclusions. Feasibility/pilot studies using technology and multicomponent approaches were reported as feasible and acceptable. Overall, further research is required before implementation of any intervention. Future research should prioritize fully powered trials with social participation as the primary outcome, using valid measures, and adequate follow‐up to build robust evidence on clinically, and cost‐effective interventions.