Guilt Focused Intervention for Family Caregivers. Preliminary Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial

Objectives A pilot randomized controlled trial study was conducted for testing the efficacy of a novel Guilt Focused Intervention (GFI), that was compared with a Cognitive Behavioral Intervention (CBI) for caregivers of people with dementia with high levels of guilt and distress. Methods Participants were 42 caregivers who were randomized assigned to the intervention conditions. Results Participants in the GFI showed significant reductions in depression, anxiety, and guilt at posttreatment and follow-up. Participants in the CBI presented reductions in anxiety and guilt at posttreatment and follow-up. Clinically significant change for guilt was found in 62.5% in the GFI and 9.09% in the CBI group at posttreatment. At follow-up, 58.33% in GFI and 12.5% in the CBI group were recovered. Conclusions The preliminary results of this pilot study suggest that caregivers with significant levels of guilt and distress might benefit from an intervention specifically designed to target guilt feelings. Clinical Implications A novel and initial intervention approach specifically designed for targeting caregivers' feelings of guilt might have the potential to reduce caregiver's emotional distress.