As no previous study measured the efficacy of DT in using
A.Di.CO and NPI, in the period of the study drawing, the power analysis was conducted using an estimated large effect size (f = 0.40), an alpha level of 0.05, and a power of 0.8. A sample size of 52 is necessary (26 each group) for primary outcomes [42 (
link)].
All the analyzed variables were tested for normality by the kurtosis test and they were all normally distributed. Patients randomized to DT were compared to patients randomized to ST by one-way ANOVA for continuous variables and by χ2 test for gender. The effect of DT was evaluated per protocol using the two-way ANOVA for repeated measurements for continuous variables and by χ2 test for trends for the incidence of delirium.
SPSS 25.0 were used for the statistical analyses and
p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Graphs were drawn using
GraphPad 8.0 for Windows.
Santagata F., Massaia M, & D’Amelio P. (2021). The doll therapy as a first line treatment for behavioral and psychologic symptoms of dementia in nursing homes residents: a randomized, controlled study. BMC Geriatrics, 21, 545.