Evaluation of a cognitive behavioral group intervention program for spouses of stroke patients

This study investigated the effectiveness of a cognitive behavioral group program for spouses of stroke patients. The program consists of 15 bi-monthly 1 1/2 h sessions. The goal of the intervention is to reduce the prevalence of mental disorders and burnout among care-giving spouses of stroke patients. The sample (stroke patients and their spouses) consisted of one intervention group (n = 38 couples) and two different control conditions, those receiving informational support (11 = 35 couples) and those receiving standard care (n = 51 couples). We used the following instruments to measure spouses' mental health and quality of life: Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (13131), WHO Quality of Life Questionnaire. Measurements were taken before the intervention (Time 1), directly following the intervention (Time 2) and 6 months after Time 2 (Time 3). Several regression analyses allowed for examination of the short-term and long-term effects of the intervention. The spouses' participation in the intervention program was associated with significant short-term changes in care-giving spouses' quality of life and with long-term changes in their quality of life and depression. The presented multi-component intervention appears to have an immediate effect on care-giving spouses' quality of life. In contrast, the intervention-related changes in more resistant mental-health-related variables did not appear until after a latent stage in the later post-intervention phase. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.