A self-efficacy psychoeducational training to empower family caregivers of people living with dementia: a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVES: To confirm the effect of a self-efficacy intervention on self-efficacy, quality of care in family caregivers of people living with dementia, compared to the control group. METHODS: A two-arm randomized controlled trial was conducted. Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group or a control group. To evaluate the effects of the intervention on participants' self-efficacy, quality of life, positive caregiving experiences, caregiving burden, and caregiving approaches, and the quality of life of people living with dementia at four time points, and compared the scores between the two groups. The generalized estimation equation model was used to examine the effects of time, group, and their interaction. RESULTS: One hundred family caregivers were recruited in the study. Compared with the control group at the 9-month follow-up, the intervention group exhibited significant improvements in self-efficacy, positive caregiving experiences, mental-related quality of life, and caregiving approaches. However, no significant differences were observed between the two groups in physical-related quality of life of family caregivers and quality of life of people living with dementia. CONCLUSION: The study validated the applicability of self-efficacy theory within the Chinese cultural context. The study could provide methodological and theoretical references for the future studies.