A Two-factor Model of Caregiving Appraisal and Psychological Well-Being

Abstract

Groups of spouse (N = 285) and adult child (N = 244) caregivers of elderly parents suffering from Alzheimer's disease were interviewed regarding their caregiving behaviors, evaluations of caregiving, and general psychological well-being. A model of caregiving dynamics where the objective stressor, caregiver resources, and subjective appraisal of caregiving (operationalized as caregiving satisfaction and burden) were studied as they affected both positive affect and depression was tested. For spouses, caregiving satisfaction was not related to aspects of the stressor, but was a significant determinant of positive affect. Among adult children, high levels of caregiving behavior resulted in both greater caregiving satisfaction and burden. Burden, in turn, was related to depression in both groups but, among adult child caregivers, positive affect was not affected by caregiving satisfaction. Limited support was found for the hypothesis that the positive and negative aspects of caregiving contributed to analogous aspects of generalized psychological well-being but not to the opposite-valence outcomes.

Cancer and caregiving: the impact on the caregiver's health

“…At first, positive aspects were part of more global burden scales (Zarit et al, 1980;Poulshock and Deimling, 1984). In more recent studies, positive aspects were more explicitly defined and measured, such as uplifts (Kinney and Stephens, 1989), gratification (Motenko, 1989), caregiver self-esteem (Given et al, 1992), appraisal, satisfaction, mastery and ideology (Lawton et al, 1991). As yet, whether these positive experiences of caregiving lead to more positive or to less negative health effects is inconclusive.…”

Does It Hurt to Care? Caregiving, Work-Family Conflict, and Midlife Well-Being

“…Gender differences in the effects of caregiving on well-being and in the effects of caregiving on reported work and family conflict were also evaluated. 4 dimensions is now becoming more prominent in the literature (Lawton, Moss, Kleban, Glicksman, & Rovine, 1991;Kramer, 1997).…”

Systematic review of respite care in the frail elderly

“…In contrast, Lawton and colleagues 42,43 did not find that the use of a mixed respite service significantly impacted on carer burden or psychological health. However, satisfaction with the service at 12 months was reported to be high, and families accessing respite services maintained the care recipient in the community for significantly longer (22 days on average) than those not accessing such a service.…”

“…When disagreements occurred papers were selected for full retrieval. Inter-rater agreement ranged from fair to moderate (kappa coefficient range [38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52]. 16 At the full paper stage all exclusions were checked by a second reviewer selected from within the project management team.…”