Caregiver Reactions to Dementia Symptoms: Effects on Coping Repertoire and Mental Health.
Jaclene A Zauszniewski, Nirmala Lekhak, Carol M Musil
PMID 29451843WHAT IT FOUND
Caregivers who found depressive and disruptive symptoms most bothersome reported poorer mental health and fewer coping skills.
Memory issues alone did not predict caregiver distress. Assess reactions to mood and behavior, not just memory loss, when supporting dementia families.
Key findings
01Caregiver reactions to depressive and disruptive symptoms significantly predicted their resourcefulness, spiritual practices, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms.
02Reactions to memory-related symptoms had no significant effect on caregiver coping repertoire or mental health.
03Higher caregiver reactions to dementia symptoms explained 32.4% of the variance in resourcefulness and 23.1% in caregiver depressive symptoms.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study is cross-sectional, so it cannot determine causality. It is unclear whether patient symptoms cause caregiver distress or if distressed caregivers perceive symptoms as more bothersome. The sample consisted only of female caregivers, so results may not generalize to male caregivers. Data was self-reported, which may introduce bias in how symptoms and coping were rated.
Declared interests
No specific funding sources or conflicts of interest are detailed in the provided text, though the study is noted as a secondary analysis of a parent clinical trial.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that memory impairment is the primary driver of caregiver distress. This study found that reactions to memory issues did not predict caregiver mental health or coping skills, while reactions to depressive and disruptive behaviors did.