Rewards and gratifications among family caregivers: towards a refined model of caring and coping.

Supplemented by a case illustration, findings from a study in Wales are reported for the first time from the application of two new instruments for measuring rewards and stresses among family caregivers. The paper takes as its starting point a critique of models of caregiving which emphasize instrumental and pathological dimensions. Findings suggest that caregivers report the existence of pervasive rewards and gratifications, as well as stresses, as part of the caregiving experience, and that these stem from varying sources. The role of rewards and satisfactions in stress-coping models is briefly discussed, and implications for changed practice and policy thinking are reviewed.