OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore the main and mediating influences of stressors, a caregiver's appraisal, coping, personal conditions and social resources on the burden of dementia caregivers. METHOD: The study sample consisted of 95 spousal caregivers of non-institutionalized persons with dementia. A path-analytic approach was used to test the conceptual model. RESULTS: The most important factors that were related to burden were the social and behavioural problems of the person with dementia; perceiving the caregiver role as a threat; perceived instrumental support; and the caregiver's functional health status and self-efficacy. The results showed no support for the mediating role of appraisal and coping on the relationship between the demands of the caregiving situation and burden. CONCLUSION: Although we found insufficient support for the empirical tenability of the hypothesised model, this study revealed some new findings of practical interest. The relationships found suggest that it might be possible to reduce the caregiving burden by improving the social functioning of the person with dementia, the caregiver's perceptions and the caregiver's capacity to function in daily life.
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore the main and mediating influences of stressors, a caregiver's appraisal, coping, personal conditions and social resources on the burden of dementia caregivers. METHOD: The study sample consisted of 95 spousal caregivers of non-institutionalized persons with dementia. A path-analytic approach was used to test the conceptual model. RESULTS: The most important factors that were related to burden were the social and behavioural problems of the person with dementia; perceiving the caregiver role as a threat; perceived instrumental support; and the caregiver's functional health status and self-efficacy. The results showed no support for the mediating role of appraisal and coping on the relationship between the demands of the caregiving situation and burden. CONCLUSION: Although we found insufficient support for the empirical tenability of the hypothesised model, this study revealed some new findings of practical interest. The relationships found suggest that it might be possible to reduce the caregiving burden by improving the social functioning of the person with dementia, the caregiver's perceptions and the caregiver's capacity to function in daily life.
Authors: Helen C Kales; Laura N Gitlin; Barbara Stanislawski; Katherine Marx; Molly Turnwald; Daphne C Watkins; Constantine G Lyketsos Journal: Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord Date: 2017 Jul-Sep Impact factor: 2.703
Authors: Iosief Abraha; Joseph M Rimland; Isabel Lozano-Montoya; Giuseppina Dell'Aquila; Manuel Vélez-Díaz-Pallarés; Fabiana M Trotta; Alfonso J Cruz-Jentoft; Antonio Cherubini Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2017-04-18
Authors: E Lydia Wu-Chung; Stephanie L Leal; Bryan T Denny; Samantha L Cheng; Christopher P Fagundes Journal: Neurosci Biobehav Rev Date: 2021-12-29 Impact factor: 8.989
Authors: Ryan M Silwanowicz; Donovan T Maust; Lisa S Seyfried; Claire Chiang; Claire Stano; Helen C Kales Journal: Int J Geriatr Psychiatry Date: 2016-10-04 Impact factor: 3.485
Authors: Iosief Abraha; Joseph M Rimland; Isabel Lozano-Montoya; Giuseppina Dell'Aquila; Manuel Vélez-Díaz-Pallarés; Fabiana M Trotta; Alfonso J Cruz-Jentoft; Antonio Cherubini Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2020-04-20