[Validation for people with dementia: innovation without evidence? : Systematic review]

Validation was an innovative approach to dealing with people with dementia that was supposed to reduce the incidence of challenging behavior. This effect, however, remains unclear to this day.

Does validation reduce challenging behaviour in people with dementia?

Systematic review according to preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Literature search in PubMed, CINAHL, PsycInfo and Web of Science. Description and critical appraisal of identified studies by two reviewers using the revised Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomized controlled trials.

A total of five studies were identified. Only one showed a significant reduction in challenging behavior compared to the control group. All studies had a moderate to high risk of bias.

Despite the negative results, a positive effect of validation cannot be ruled out as the trials tested validation as an isolated treatment and not as an integrated part of daily care. In addition, blinding, which is common in clinical trials, is not an appropriate criterion for evaluating trials investigating interventions where the effects result exclusively from interpersonal interaction.