Skip to main content

Table 2 Delivery of the interventions (based on the TiDieR checklist [44])

From: Relieving distressed caregivers (ReDiCare study): study protocol of a randomized pragmatic trial

 

Intervention 1 (setting a, b)

Intervention 2 (optional)

WHY:

rational, theory

Problem-solving

CBT, problem-solving, emotion regulation principles for managing loss and change, resource activation

WHAT: materials

a) Assessment with card sort, 3 different worksheets

b) Paper-based assessment (analogue to the cards), 3 different worksheets sent by post

Assessment with Goal Attainment Scaling, different worksheets of the intervention manual sent by post.

WHO: provider

Care counsellors from long-term care insurances with different professions (social workers, nurses, social insurance employees) and an additional qualification for care counselling according to the national legal requirements. The interventions were delivered within their usual working hours.

All counsellors are initially trained in a 2-day workshop by KP and supervised by psychotherapists (no members of the study team) during the study (up to one telephone contact per month). Supervisors are trained in a 1-day workshop and supervised by KP during the study when needed.

Clinical therapists with a master degree in psychology and an additional qualification in cognitive behavioural therapy. Therapists are working in different settings (psychotherapeutic outpatient clinic of the University of Jena, own practice) and are no members of the study team. They are reimbursed for all contacts provided within the study according to hourly rates for psychotherapy.

All therapists are initially trained in a 1-day workshop and regularly supervised by GW during the study (4 to 6 times per year and on demand).

HOW: delivery

Individual, manual-based (short manual and materials are available online from the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds) [35] (Table 1)

Individual, manual-based [26] (Table 1)

Possible complications, ethical or legal issues arising during the study are documented and discussed with members of the advisory board (jurist, gerontopsychologist, nurse, representative of the national Alzheimer Society).

WHERE: location

a) Initial contact in care-recipients home if possible, follow-up contacts by phone

b) All contacts by phone

All contacts by phone

WHEN, HOW MUCH:

dosage

a) One initial home visit, ≥ 2 contacts by phone over 3 months

b) ≥ 3 contacts by phone over 3 months

a+b) caregivers without Intervention 2 receive at least an additional follow-up contact during the following 6 months

12 contacts by phone over 6 months

TAILORING: what, how

Yes (assessment to identify burdensome aspects of caregiving and individual goals)

Yes (Goal Attainment Scaling to assess participants’ own, most personally relevant problems and own personal goals)

HOW WELL: delivered as planned

Evaluation based on copies of the assessment, working sheets (with goals, alternative solutions, implementation plan) and records of number and duration of contacts.

Evaluation based on therapists’ protocols from each session, GAS, records of the number and duration of contacts, protocols from supervision, audio tapes of all therapy sessions and on The Scale for the Multiperspective Assessment of General Change Mechanisms in Psychotherapy (SACiP) [45]