Supportive Interventions for Caregivers of Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review

Abstract

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Caregivers of individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) are key members of the treatment team. Their needs and challenges should be met as interventions can be effective in improving not only their own health, well-being, and quality of life but also that of those they care for. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate supportive interventions for caregivers of individuals with MS. METHODS We conducted a database search of PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library from 2000 to 2021. English-language studies that examined interventions administered directly to caregivers of individuals with MS and evaluated various outcomes were included. The Downs and Black checklist was used to assess the methodological quality of included studies. RESULTS Twenty of 367 relevant papers fit the eligibility criteria outlined in the methods of this study and were subsequently selected for this review. Of the included studies, there was a notable variance in key characteristics such as methods, outcome measures, sample size, and procedures. Supportive interventions, psychoeducational group interventions, and behavioral-adaptive therapies were the 3 main categories of interventions reviewed; however, each study had a significant correlation between the intervention and outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Despite the small sample size in this study, this review showed that various intervention models that target caregivers of individuals with MS have been successful.