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Snoezelen for dementia
Chung JC, Lai CK, Chung PM, French HP.. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2002-01-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Practitioners are keen to use snoezelen in dementia care, and some encouraging results have been documented in the area of promoting adaptive behaviours (e.g. The list of trials was compared with those identified from a search of the Specialized Register of the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group. Although the pooled results were insignificant, the trend was in the direction of favouring treatment (hence a negative value of the SMD). Kragt's result, weighted 47%, was significant in favour of treatment, with a SMD of -2.77 and a 95% CI (-4.24, -1.29). During the snoezelen session, Kragt's subjects presented significantly fewer apathetic behaviours (t=-8.22, p Reviewer's conclusions Two trials were reviewed. Such variations not only require a careful interpretation of results but also make the comparison of results across studies less valid. It is hoped that the data and results of these trials will enrich the systematic review of snoezelen for dementia in the next update.
Key findings
- Practitioners are keen to use snoezelen in dementia care, and some encouraging results have been documented in the area of promoting adaptive behaviours (e.g.
- The list of trials was compared with those identified from a search of the Specialized Register of the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group.
- Although the pooled results were insignificant, the trend was in the direction of favouring treatment (hence a negative value of the SMD).
- Kragt's result, weighted 47%, was significant in favour of treatment, with a SMD of -2.77 and a 95% CI (-4.24, -1.29).
- During the snoezelen session, Kragt's subjects presented significantly fewer apathetic behaviours (t=-8.22, p Reviewer's conclusions Two trials were reviewed.
Why it matters
This systematic review of two trials on snoezelen for dementia found that pooled results were not significant, though one trial showed significantly fewer apathetic behaviors during snoezelen sessions. The evidence is limited and inconsistent, so it does not establish snoezelen as an effective treatment for dementia.
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Study details
- Study designsystematic review
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 55/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a systematic review of all the studies on the question. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported and studied in people because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (The Cochrane database of systematic reviews) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: journal h-index 468 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 12 / 12 | A systematic review of all the studies on the question |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2002 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | A review of other studies — randomisation is not credited here |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 187 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 7.2 citations a year over 26 year(s) since 2002 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 6 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Claudia K. Y. Lai: h-index 36 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Hong Kong Polytechnic University: institution h-index 668 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 12519587) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 55 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — PubMed Central lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 10 Oct 2026).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Chung, J. C., Lai, C. K., Chung, P. M., & French, H. P. (2002). Snoezelen for dementia. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd003152
Vancouver
Chung JC, Lai CK, Chung PM, French HP. Snoezelen for dementia. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews. 2002. doi:10.1002/14651858.cd003152. PMID: 12519587.
BibTeX
@article{chung2002-12519587,
author = {Chung, J. C. and Lai, C. K. and Chung, P. M. and French, H. P.},
title = {{Snoezelen for dementia}},
journal = {The Cochrane database of systematic reviews},
year = {2002},
doi = {10.1002/14651858.cd003152},
pmid = {12519587},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd003152}
}
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