Therapeutic doll interventions for people living with dementia: a scoping review

Background: Doll therapy is a psycho-social intervention that has been commonly used within dementia care for many decades. The practice of doll therapy involves supporting people with dementia to engage with a therapeutic doll and this has been associated with positive changes in a person's wellbeing and behaviour. While there have been several systematic reviews that have focused on behavioural outcomes, limited reviews have explored the broader psychosocial outcomes associated with doll therapy<br/>Methods: A scoping review of the literature was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis extension for ScR (PRISMA-ScR). Four electronic databases were searched systematically (CINAHL Plus, Medline, PsycINFO and PubMed). A mixed Methods appraisal tool (MMAT) was used to assess the quality of primary studies, however, all relevant studies were considered regardless of their methodological quality. The ‘Population-Concept-Context’ framework was used in the screening process to identify eligible papers.<br/>Results: 12 primary research studies from the past ten years (2013-2023) were included in this review. Primary data was synthesised using a narrative synthesis methodology. There three main things from this review relate to 1) the extent to which doll therapy can enhance quality of life in people living with dementia, 2) the impact doll therapy can have on verbal and non-verbal communication between people living with dementia and their caregivers and professional staff, and 3) the potential for doll therapy to reduce associated caregiver distress.<br/>Discussion: Doll Therapy has progressed as a person-centred intervention that has potential to enhance quality of life in people with dementia, building quality relationships between people with dementia and caregivers/ professionals. It is a cost-effective, evidence based, least restrictive intervention that can be used within dementia care settings.