Effectiveness of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy on the Quality of Life, Depression and Burden of Demented Women Caregivers

Background: The aim of the study was to observe whether the Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is effective in easing the life burdens, alleviating mental depression and also improving the quality of life of female caregivers of Alzheimer's patients.

Materials and Methods: In this investigation, the quasi- experimental method was used. In this research, statistical society is women caregivers that they are members of Alzheimer's association. For this purpose, 20 of the women caregivers of Iranian Alzheimer's association, 10 of experimental group and 10 of control group, were selected. The methods of sampling were according to the type of available samples and were placed randomly in the two groups of experimental and control subjects. Eight therapy sessions were held and these two groups were asked by the researchers to respond to the Quality of Life questionnaire (SF-36), Burden of Care Givers questionnaire (CBI) and Hamilton questionnaire. These replies were gathered by researches once before the beginning of each session, once at the end of each therapy session and also once 2 months after the end of the therapy was completed. For analyzing has been used SPSS-16. The Covariance test and Wilcoxon test were used to analyze the gathered data.

Results: The observed findings in the 2-month follow ups show that this therapy has long term effects on depression and easing the burden of life, but it has minimal to no long term effect on the improvement of the quality of lives of study subjects.

Conclusion: The results indicate that (MBCT) is, in fact, effective in improving the quality of life and reducing the depression and burden of lives of the female caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients.