Psychological morbidity, burden, and the mediating effect of social support in adult children caregivers of oncological patients undergoing chemotherapy

Abstract

Results underscore the importance of perceived parental dependency in offspring's caregivers. Findings support the multidimensional issues associated to burden in this specific population, stressing satisfaction with social support as an important mediator between distress/PTSD and burden. Implications for further research as well as limitations of the present study are discussed. Psychosocial interventions should focus on caregivers' social resources to facilitate psychological well-being.

Psychological distress, social support, and quality of life among cancer caregivers in Albania

“…A robust body of knowledge has accumulated on the protective effects of social support for family caregivers of persons with chronic and potentially life‐threatening health conditions, including cancer. Taken together, these studies show that support can have important mediating and moderating effects in the caregiver stress process.…”

Mediating burden and stress over time: Caregivers of patients with primary brain tumor

“…Although there is evidence that high levels of support can buffer the relationship between burden and distress, ensuring low levels of initial caregiver burden is perhaps the simplest way to address long‐term distress. Caregivers with higher levels of burden at diagnosis were more likely to report lower levels of support after 4 months and higher levels of distress at 8 months.…”

“…In line with these models, research has shown that a high degree of caregiver burden adversely affects caregiver quality of life and psychological and physical health . Caregivers who report lower levels perceived burden are more likely to report adequate support from social networks of friends, family, and other acquaintances and higher levels of well‐being . However, most research using these models has been cross sectional.…”

Understanding Caregiver Quality of Life in Caregivers of Hospitalized Older Adults With Cancer

“…A lack of social support was also important and may indicate the amount of hands‐on care that caregivers themselves provide to patients as well as opportunities for respite from caregiving. This has not been identified as a contributing factor in prior studies of caregiving in older adults with cancer, but has been noted in other studies of caregivers of cancer and noncancer patients . Poor caregiver mental health is associated with caregiver QOL, potentially suggesting that a caregiver's coping strategies and outlook on life are important to his/her QOL .…”