STELLA-FTD: Examination of a Behavior Change Intervention for Frontotemporal Dementia Family Care Partners.

Introduction and Objectives: Frontotemporal dementia is the most common dementia in people under age 60. Although FTD is often characterized by behavioral symptoms, few national interventions address management of these symptoms. Here we describe our protocol for STELLA-FTD, an intervention for FTD care partners. Methods: STELLA-FTD is an NIH Stage 1B randomized controlled trial that tests the efficacy of the intervention and will isolate the hypothesized mechanism of action. Two groups (test and control) receive information and peer support over eight weekly sessions. The test group will receive the behavioral management intervention, the control group will not. Results: Prior to implementation, the advisory board (STAR Council) tested the website and participated in mock sessions. Revisions were completed and recruitment started in June 2025. Discussion: STELLA-FTD addresses the needs of an under-studied group, FTD care partners. The study will provide evidence of intervention efficacy and identify the mechanism of action.