AGENCY AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES

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Principal Investigator: Kenneth Pakenham, Ph.D.

Caregiver Intervention Description

A. A plain-language summary of the intervention, including a brief description of each component if there are multiple components (e.g. support group and individual counseling).

The comparative efficacy of intervening at the caregiver/care-recipient dyadic level, versus the individual caregiver level, for caregivers and their care-recipients with HIV/AIDS was examined. Participants were randomly assigned to a Dyad Intervention (DI), a Caregiver Intervention (CI), or Wait List Control group (WLC), and assessed by interview and self-administered scales immediately before treatment and eight weeks later. Participants in the intervention groups also completed a four-month follow up assessment. Dependent variables included global distress, social adjustment, dyadic adjustment, subjective health status, HIV/AIDS knowledge, and target problem ratings. Results showed that caregivers in the DI group showed greater improvement from pre- to post-treatment on global distress, dyadic adjustment, and target problems than the CI and WLC caregivers. The CI and DI caregivers showed greater improvement than the WLC group on all dependent variables except social adjustment. Care-recipients in the DI group improved significantly from pre- to post-treatment on dyadic adjustment, social adjustment, knowledge, subjective health status and Target Problem 1, whereas the CI and WLC care-recipients failed to improve on any of these measures. The treatment gains made by the DI caregivers and care-recipients on most dependent variables were maintained at a four-month follow up.

Key search terms: HIV/AIDS, counseling, skills training

2. Intervention Materials

Various assessment scales (e.g., HIV Problem Checklist, self monitoring forms, knowledge of HIV/AIDS scale)

Contact information for further information, materials, and training

Dr Kenneth Pakenham, Associate Professor, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia; Ph: (07) 3365 6677; Fax: (07) 33654466; Email: kenp@psy.uq.edu.au.

3. Implementing the Intervention

Training qualifications and guidelines for those delivering the intervention:

Two psychologists with clinical experience conducted the intervention sessions. There is no specific training program to train therapists in conducting the intervention. However, it is recommended that therapist be qualified psychologists or have some other similar qualification in the mental health area.

Estimated costs of implementing the intervention:

Costs are unknown – the main cost would be payment of therapists who conduct the intervention sessions.

4. For more information

Pakenham, K. I., Dadds, M. R., & Lennon, H. V. (2002). The efficacy of a psychosocial intervention for HIV/AIDS caregiving dyads and individual caregivers: A controlled treatment outcome study. AIDS Care, 14, 731-750.