Telephone-based mindfulness intervention positively impacts family communication and stress within rural, African American dementia caregiving teams

Abstract

Objectives The objective of this paper is to explore how telephone-delivered mindfulness training impacts family conflict and communication within the informal dementia caregiving team, including primary caregivers, their care partner, and the care recipient. Method Primary caregivers and their care partners participated in an eight-week telephone-delivered mindfulness-based intervention (MBI). This study used mixed methods and a pre-post design to evaluate the intervention’s effect on family satisfaction, perceived support, and family conflict. Results Both family satisfaction and perceived informational support increased significantly, and qualitative analysis revealed four key themes illustrating how the mindfulness intervention served to positively impact family conflict and communication among participating caregivers. Conclusion This study provides preliminary evidence for the beneficial effects of an MBI on family functioning among rural African American caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.