Effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for anticipatory grief in informal caregivers for people living with dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Psychosocial interventions support informal caregivers of people with dementia, but their impact on anticipatory grief and related health outcomes remains unclear. This review examines the effectiveness of different psychosocial approaches in addressing these outcomes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following PRISMA guidelines and registered in PROSPERO (CRD42024629388). Eight databases were searched from inception to January 10, 2025. Two reviewers independently screened studies, assessed bias, and extracted data. Leave-one-out sensitivity and subgroup analyses addressed heterogeneity. Evidence quality was assessed using the GRADEpro Guideline Development Tool. RESULTS: Eleven interventional studies were included. Psychosocial interventions (n = 6) had no significant short-term (