TY - JOUR
T1 - Caring and coping
T2 - The dementia caregivers
AU - Papastavrou, Evridiki
AU - Tsangari, Haritini
AU - Karayiannis, George
AU - Papacostas, Savvas
AU - Efstathiou, Georgios
AU - Sourtzi, Panayiota
PY - 2011/8
Y1 - 2011/8
N2 - Objectives: Caring for a family member with Alzheimer's disease is associated with increased burden and depression. Effective coping with the hardships and demands of caring may help to sustain the caregiver and lessen the effect of the stressors. The objective of this study was to examine caregivers' coping styles and the relationship with reported levels of burden and depression. Method: A cross-sectional correlation study was employed. One hundred and seventy-two caregivers of patients suffering from Alzheimer's type dementia participated in the study. All patients were recruited from neurology clinics. The Greek versions of four measuring instruments used were: the Memory and Behaviour Problem Checklist, the Burden Interview, the Centre for Epidemiological studies-Depression scale and the Ways of Coping Questionnaire. Results: Positive coping is negatively correlated with burden (r=-0.20) and wishful thinking strategies were related positively (r=0.16). The relation between depression and positive coping strategies is highly significant (p<0.01), whereas for burden the relation is significant (p<0.05). Regression analyses showed that positive coping strategies are the most powerful, both in terms of predicting depression levels, and also in terms of moderating the effect of burden on depression. Conclusion: Positive coping approaches need to be developed by caregivers so as to continue their caring role.
AB - Objectives: Caring for a family member with Alzheimer's disease is associated with increased burden and depression. Effective coping with the hardships and demands of caring may help to sustain the caregiver and lessen the effect of the stressors. The objective of this study was to examine caregivers' coping styles and the relationship with reported levels of burden and depression. Method: A cross-sectional correlation study was employed. One hundred and seventy-two caregivers of patients suffering from Alzheimer's type dementia participated in the study. All patients were recruited from neurology clinics. The Greek versions of four measuring instruments used were: the Memory and Behaviour Problem Checklist, the Burden Interview, the Centre for Epidemiological studies-Depression scale and the Ways of Coping Questionnaire. Results: Positive coping is negatively correlated with burden (r=-0.20) and wishful thinking strategies were related positively (r=0.16). The relation between depression and positive coping strategies is highly significant (p<0.01), whereas for burden the relation is significant (p<0.05). Regression analyses showed that positive coping strategies are the most powerful, both in terms of predicting depression levels, and also in terms of moderating the effect of burden on depression. Conclusion: Positive coping approaches need to be developed by caregivers so as to continue their caring role.
KW - Alzheimer's
KW - Burden
KW - Caregiver
KW - Caring
KW - Coping
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=80054844571&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/13607863.2011.562178
DO - 10.1080/13607863.2011.562178
M3 - Article
C2 - 21547752
AN - SCOPUS:80054844571
SN - 1360-7863
VL - 15
SP - 702
EP - 711
JO - Aging and Mental Health
JF - Aging and Mental Health
IS - 6
ER -