“From theory to methodology”: Evaluating a workshop for designing mechanistic interventions for dementia dyads

Background: Coping with the challenges of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias is a shared experience, impacting individuals living with the disease, their care partners, and their relationship. As the number of people affected by dementia continues to rise, so does the demand for evidence-based psychosocial interventions that support the well-being of both members of the dyad. However, the current dyadic dementia intervention (DDI) landscape remains limited in scope and rigor, often lacking strong relational theoretical underpinnings and clear mechanisms of action. Objective: To address this gap, a four-hour workshop was offered at the 2024 Gerontological Society of America Annual Scientific Meeting to equip researchers with the knowledge, confidence, and skills necessary to conduct methodologically rigorous DDI studies. Methods: The first hour of the workshop included didactic presentations on dyadic theory, intervention design, statistics, and dementia-specific considerations. Attendees then participated in small-group, problem-based experiential activities, applying the learned content to their own research projects with individualized feedback from workshop leaders. Results: Participants, primarily from the disciplines of nursing, psychology, and the social sciences, reported significant improvements in perceived knowledge and confidence from pre- to post-workshop and rated the experience as highly satisfactory. Conclusions: These findings suggest that a workshop combining didactic instruction with experiential, problem-based learning is both feasible and effective in strengthening researchers’ self-efficacy and skills to advance DDI research.