Impact of an online therapeutic support program for informal caregivers

Abstract

Introduction: About 80% of the European population are informal caregivers (IC). This role can, on one hand, bring a sense of purpose, but, on the other hand, it leads to physical and mental health problems. The need was felt to develop online solutions to reach a greater number of IC, as is the case of “Group Hug – Informal Caregivers”, an online psychological support program for IC. Objective: This study aims to assess the impact of this program on burden, psychological well-being, and resilience in informal caregivers living in the Lisbon metropolitan area. Material and Methods: The sample consisted of 17 participants and a 1-year online intervention was conducted. The impact of the program was analyzed through an assessment carried out before and after participation, using the following instruments:  The Caregiver Burden Scale, The Brief Resilient Coping Scale, and The Psychological Well-Being Manifestation Measurement Scale. Results: The results did not indicate significant improvements in burden levels (p=0.620), resilient coping (p=0.740), or psychological well-being (p=0.326); this may be due to several factors that characterize the sample, adherence to the sessions, and the fact that resilience is a trait and therefore can be altered to a limited extent. Conclusion: Interventions targeting informal caregivers can be favourable, but further research on how they should be implemented is needed to ensure greater efficacy. Occupational therapists can play an important role in this area, contributing to specialized interventions that promote burden management strategies, strengthening well-being and developing resilience resources in informal caregivers.