What’s that study? Investigating thinking and emotional regulation styles in older adults

Anne-Marie Greenaway

We spoke to Anne-Marie Greenaway, PHD student at the University of Reading, who is leading a study to investigate the emotional wellbeing of people living with dementia.

When someone experiences a low mood, it makes it more difficult to complete everyday tasks. Low mood increases the level of cognitive impairment in people living with dementia. As approximately half the number of people living with dementia experience mild symptoms of depression and almost a quarter have major depression, it is important that we find effective interventions.

What are the main aims of the study?

The overall aim of the study is to compare how people living with and without dementia typically respond to things (thinking and emotional regulation styles) and to see how this relates to their mood using an online survey. This may help us to improve our understanding of depression in dementia and produce effective interventions.

What does it involve for a participant?

Laptop with the Join Dementia Research logo on the screen

It is a home-based study. We will call the participant and they will complete a brief cognitive screen within the 15 minute phone call. They will be asked to complete a survey over the internet two times. The survey takes on average 20 minutes to complete each time.

How long is the study for?

The study runs over 18 days. The telephone call and the first time the survey is completed will happen within the first two days. The same survey is done again, 14 days later. Participants are asked to complete it within two days.

What do you hope the outcomes of the study will be?

We hope the information will help us improve the wellbeing of people living with dementia who are experiencing low mood or depression by identifying risk factors to target.

Where is the study based?

This is a telephone and online survey study. The researchers are based at the University of Reading but the study is recruiting throughout the UK.

Who can take part?

We are looking for people who:

are female and aged 60 years and older
are living with a diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or dementia
are able to read and speak English proficiently and hear at normal conversational levels (with or without hearing aids)
have an email account and access to the internet.

Unfortunately, we will not be able to take volunteers who have severe visual impairment or a learning disability, are currently experiencing psychosis, delirium or having treatment for any form of cancer.

You can see if you are eligible for this study or others around the UK by logging into your Join Dementia Research account.