RELATIONSHIPS OF PERCEIVED STRESS, COPING STRATEGIES, AND SPECIFICALLY RELIGIOSITY ON SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING OF FAMILY CAREGIVERS FOR INDIVIDUALS AFFECTED BY ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.
Contributors: Ohio State University.
Published: 1993
Number of pages: 215
Subjects: Health Sciences, Education.; Health Sciences, Nursing.; Gerontology.
Description: Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the leading form of dementing illness among persons over age 65. A significant ramification of AD is that individuals affected primarily remain at home until the later stages of the disease. However, even with institutionalization, the stress of AD caregiving is not reduced. Although psychosocial supports are important resources to their well-being, religiosity has not been investigated comprehensively as a coping strategy for AD caregivers.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of independent variables including perceived stress of AD caregivers, their level of coping, and religiosity, to the dependent variable of subjective well-being (SWB). The theoretical frameworks involved Lazarus and Folkman's Transactional Perspective of Stress and Coping, and Atchley's psychosocial framework of the Continuity Theory of Aging.

The study population included members of the Central-Ohio Alzheimer's Association Chapter family support group program, with eligibility based upon care/management of an AD-affected individual. The study approach was ex-post facto, with a static-group-comparison design. Data collection was by mailed self-report instruments, including the Current HIS Mental Health Battery: General Well-being; Caregiving Hassles Scale; F-COPES Scale; and Springfield Religiosity Schedule. Control variables included the AD affected individual's relationship to the caregiver and living arrangements, time in the caregiving situation, and degree of functional impairment.

Results indicated that the typical caregiver in this sample was a white, protestant female, over 50 years of age, married and caring for her spouse or mother. Caregivers most often had a high school education, with at least some college, and work either full- or part-time.

Statistically significant relationships (p $<$.01) were revealed between religiosity (pr =.39), coping (pr =.28) and stress (pr = $-$.32) with SWB, and between religiosity and coping (pr =.56). A three-step multiple regression analysis showed that 23 percent of the variance in SWB could be explained by the independent variables religiosity (R$\sp2$ =.13) and stress (R$\sp2$ =.11) at p $\le$.001. These results supported the hypothesis that religiosity demonstrates a positive and significant impact on caregiver coping and SWB, with implications for bolstering widespread community religious resources.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 55-02, Section: B, page: 0355.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, 1993.

School code: 0168.