Development, Implementation, and Outcomes of Web-Based Interventions for Family Caregivers of Individuals with...

This scoping review aims to summarize the landscape of web-based interventions for family caregivers of individuals with dementia, with a specific focus on their design, implementation approaches, and outcomes.

This scoping review followed Arksey and O'Malley's five-stage framework and conducted a comprehensive literature search of publications up to October 1, 2025. Six databases were systematically searched, with relevant studies collected and cataloged. The analysis focused on the theoretical foundations, development, content, and implementation of interventions, as well as intervention outcomes. Descriptive statistics were employed for data analysis.

A total of 41 studies met the inclusion criteria, representing 37 unique web-based interventions. Half of the studies were conducted in the United States and the Netherlands. Over 80% (80.5%) of the interventions were delivered via websites, with a smaller proportion (19.5%) provided through applications. The interventions typically featured components including providing information and care skills guidance (85.4%), peer support (41.5%), contact with professionals (43.9%), decision support (39.0%), psychological support (90.2%), and self-care guidance (90.2%). Although a substantial portion of interventions demonstrated notable improvements in caregiver burden and stress within the intervention groups, differences between the intervention and control groups were often not substantial. Additionally, approximately two-thirds (68.3%) of the interventions lacked theoretical guidance in their development and implementation.

The scoping review indicates that existing web-based interventions have potential benefits in supporting family caregivers of individuals with dementia, but there are notable gaps in personalization, theoretical guidance, and strategies to enhance adherence. Future studies should focus on strengthening the theoretical frameworks that guide intervention design and implementation, improving adherence strategies, and exploring more flexible and personalized online tools to reduce caregiver burden and stress, thereby enhancing the effectiveness and scalability of these interventions.