Is an errorless learning based strategy efficacious in aiding learning in people with Alzheimer’s disease? and Living with a diagnosis of behavioural-variant frontotemporal dementia: the person’s experience

Griffin, Julie (2013). Is an errorless learning based strategy efficacious in aiding learning in people with Alzheimer’s disease? and Living with a diagnosis of behavioural-variant frontotemporal dementia: the person’s experience. University of Birmingham. Clin.Psy.D.

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Abstract

Research investigating behavioural-variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) has concentrated on identifying and quantifying people’s difficulties; yet few studies have considered how people with bvFTD make sense of their difficulties. This study elicited the subjective experiences of five people living with bvFTD. Participants were interviewed and interpretive phenomenological analysis was used to analyze the data. Two super-ordinate themes emerged: ‘Bewilderment’ and ‘Relationships with others’. These were discussed in relation to the known difficulties encountered by those with bvFTD. ‘Bewilderment’ reflected the feelings of the participants from the start of their dementia journey and was divided into two main themes (1) ‘Awareness of change: What’s the problem?: Awareness of changes in behaviour or lifestyle, and (2) Threats to self: This is not me: Changes in behaviour or lifestyle which negatively impact on their sense of self. The second super-ordinate theme, ‘Relationships with others’, reflected difficulties with social relationships and comprised two main themes (1) ‘Family and friends: Things haven’t changed… but do I say anything wrong?’: Paradox between feeling their relationships were unchanged but an awareness that something was not as it were previously, and (2) Coping with threats to self: Blame others or just avoid them: Ways participants sought to cope.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Clin.Psy.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Clin.Psy.D.

Supervisor(s):