NCT07381010

Learn About Caring for a Person Living With Dementia

Caregivers' Transfer of Dementia Knowledge as Supported by Structured Retrieval Practice

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 1
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 73 (actual)
• Sponsor: Texas Christian University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The goal of is project is to improve caregiver education about the behavioral and psychological symptoms (BPSD) of dementia. This intervention will incorporate principles from the science of learning for structuring retrieval practice to optimize learning and long-term retention of key health information. The processing-knowledge model for ADRD care predicts that enhancing health knowledge using structured retrieval practice will best support caregivers of people living with dementia (PLwD).

Detailed description

This study consisted of a screener and two sessions. Participants began by answering screener questions to see if they qualified to participate in the study. In Session 1, participants completed measures of self-efficacy and dementia symptom severity at their own pace. Next, participants studied 4 categories of emotions and mood symptoms of ADRD (agitation, irritation, apathy, depression) in a webpage format, as would be available from online resources (e.g., National Institutes of Health) to mirror caregivers often obtain information. Study was self-paced and order of topics was randomized. Following study, caregivers were randomly assigned to the restudy group or the structured retrieval group. Those in the restudy group restudied the four categories in the same format as before, at their own pace. Those in the structured retrieval group took a self-paced practice test consisting of 8 multiple-choice questions for each of the 4-categories in a blocked fashion such that participants answered all 8 questions in one category, in a random order (e.g., apathy), before moving onto the next (e.g., agitation), and received detailed, corrective feedback following each answer to the multiple-choice questions. Participants either studied or practice retrieval for 3 practice blocks. The order of categories and questions was randomized for each participant during each practice block. Following practice, participants completed the 10-minute problem solving task. Participants then took a self-paced multiple-choice test consisting of all 32 multiple-choice questions (i.e., the same questions as in practice). After the test, participants completed a self-paced usability measure and provided demographic information. Session 2 began two days later, and participants began by taking the same self-paced multiple-choice test as in Session 1. Next, they completed a vocabulary task, self-efficacy scale, dementia symptom severity scale, measure of health knowledge, information seeking, and provide demographic information. Finally, participants were thanked, debriefed, and compensated for their participation.

Conditions

• Dementia

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Structured Retrieval Practice (SRP)	Our Structured Retrieval Practice (SRP) Caregiver Intervention is a web-based multi-media program designed to enhance dementia caregivers' goal-relevant memory, reduce caregiver stress, and reduce perceptions of symptom severity. The self-guided online intervention does not require supervision by a healthcare professional. Caregivers learn modules on dementia care and complete dynamic multiple-choice tests targeting practical knowledge supported with detailed, elaborative feedback to correct health misconceptions.
BEHAVIORAL	Standard Health Education	Caregivers re-read modules on Alzheimer's Disease or related dementias (ADRD) in a webpage format, as would be available from online resources (e.g., National Institutes of Health) to mirror how most caregivers obtain information.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-01-01
• Primary completion: 2025-12-31
• Completion: 2025-12-31
• First posted: 2026-02-02
• Last updated: 2026-02-02

Locations

2 sites across 1 country: United States