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The effect of reminiscence therapy on cognitive functions, depression, and quality of life in Alzheimer patients: Randomized controlled trial
Lök N, Bademli K, Selçuk-Tosun A.. International journal of geriatric psychiatry, 2018-09-24
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background Alzheimer is a disease leading to various neuropsychiatric behavioral disorders, and the most common symptom observed during the prognosis of Alzheimer's disease is dysmnesia. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of reminiscence therapy on cognitive functions, depression, and quality of life in Alzheimer's patients. Methods The present study was a randomized controlled single blind study with two groups, which was designed in the experimental pretest-posttest pattern in the city of Konya, Turkey. It was decided to include a total of 60 elderly individuals. Information form that evaluated socio-demographic characteristics and disease history of individuals in intervention and control groups and was developed by the researcher. Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination (SMMSE), Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia, and the Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease (QOL-AD) Scale were used to collect the data. Reminiscence therapy was applied once a week and lasted for 8 weeks. Every session took 60 minutes. Groups consisted of six people. Results Mini-Mental Test, depression, and quality of life mean scores of the elderly in intervention group before reminiscence therapy program increased after the administration, and the difference was statistically significant (P Conclusions Our results suggest that regular reminiscence therapy should be considered for inclusion as routine care for the improvement of cognitive functions, depressive symptoms, and quality of life in elderly people with Alzheimer.
Key findings
- Results Mini-Mental Test, depression, and quality of life mean scores of the elderly in intervention group before reminiscence therapy program increased after the administration, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05).
Why it matters
In this randomized controlled trial of 60 elderly people with Alzheimer disease, reminiscence therapy given weekly for 8 weeks was followed by statistically significant improvements in Mini-Mental Test, depression, and quality-of-life scores in the intervention group. The authors suggest regular reminiscence therapy should be considered, but this is a small single-blind study about symptoms and well-being, not a cure or prevention.
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Study details
- Participants60
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 63/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a randomised controlled trial. Scored zero for effect reported because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (International journal of geriatric psychiatry) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry: journal h-index 190 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 11 / 12 | A randomised controlled trial (from PubMed type “Randomized Controlled Trial”) |
| 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 | 2 / 5 | 2019 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 60 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 2 / 2 | Randomised and blinded or placebo-controlled (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 155 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 17.2 citations a year over 9 year(s) since 2019 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 7.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 3 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 62 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Alime Selçuk Tosun: h-index 11 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Akdeniz University: institution h-index 250 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 30246408) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 63 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
May need a subscription Unpaywall, Europe PMC and OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 10 Oct 2026), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
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
Lök, N., Bademli, K., & Selçuk-Tosun, A. (2019). The effect of reminiscence therapy on cognitive functions, depression, and quality of life in Alzheimer patients: Randomized controlled trial. International journal of geriatric psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.4980
Vancouver
Lök N, Bademli K, Selçuk-Tosun A. The effect of reminiscence therapy on cognitive functions, depression, and quality of life in Alzheimer patients: Randomized controlled trial. International journal of geriatric psychiatry. 2019. doi:10.1002/gps.4980. PMID: 30246408.
BibTeX
@article{lok2019-30246408,
author = {Lök, N. and Bademli, K. and Selçuk-Tosun, A.},
title = {{The effect of reminiscence therapy on cognitive functions, depression, and quality of life in Alzheimer patients: Randomized controlled trial}},
journal = {International journal of geriatric psychiatry},
year = {2019},
doi = {10.1002/gps.4980},
pmid = {30246408},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.4980}
}
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