Access to CBT and early diagnosis in dementia- version 1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring cognitive mediation ability in people with dementia: the factors that influence it and effects of difference in ability
IRAS ID
147241
Contact name
Joshua Stott
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Research summary
Development of effective early diagnosis and interventions for dementia is currently a key drive in government policy as it is associated with fewer healthcare costs and better outcomes.
CBT is a highly effective treatment for depression and anxiety, which are common in a dementia population. Some of the core components that comprise CBT can be hard for people with cognitive impairments to understand and this may reduce effectiveness. The main aim of this study is to understand whether people with dementia can access CBT by exploring core cognitive abilities required to benefit from treatment.
It is also important to identity different dementias in the earliest phase when cognitive abilities are less impaired so as to maximise the potential effectiveness of CBT. The secondary aim of this study is to explore the utility of a neuropsychological test assessing spatial ability, the Four Mountains Test (Hartley et al, 2007), which has demonstrated impairments in a sample of Alzheimer’s patients in the early phases of the disease compared to other forms of dementia.
There are two stages to this study. In stage 1, 50 participants who have been referred for a dementia assessment in two NHS memory services and 50 healthy control participants will be recruited. All participants will attend an appointment with the researcher that will last approximately 1 hour and will be asked to complete questionnaires that measure cognitive therapy ability alongside a number of neuropsychological tests including the Four Mountain Test.
Following completion of stage 1 participants will be asked if they are interested in taking part in stage 2. This will involve meeting with the researcher for a second appointment to complete an interview that simulates a CBT session. The cognitive therapy ability questionnaires will be repeated to assess the reliability over time of these measures within a dementia population.
REC name
London - Bromley Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/0554
Date of REC Opinion
16 May 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion