A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF STRAIN AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMATOLOGY IN FAMILY CAREGIVERS OF OLDER ADULTS WHO ARE FUNCTIONALLY IMPAIRED.
Contributors: Case Western Reserve University.
Published: 1995
Number of pages: 200
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Gerontology.; Psychology, Social.
Description: Families have been providing assistance to older adults that may result in strain and depressive symptomatology. Caregiver strain and depressive symptomatology may be explained by availability of social support. Research concerning home care nurses as formal providers of social support to caregivers of older adults residing in the community is limited. The purposes of the study were to (1) determine if strain, depressive symptomatology, and caregiving appraisal were significantly different between family caregivers of older adults who were functionally impaired receiving home health care and those who were not receiving this support, and (2) assess the moderator model of social support.

Using consecutive sampling, 49 caregivers to functionally impaired older adults receiving home health care and 51 caregivers not receiving this support were selected after receiving referrals from hospital personnel. Within a week of receiving the referral, interviews in the home were conducted about strain, depressive symptomatology, caregiving appraisal, informal social support, satisfaction with social support, problem-focused coping, and emotion-focused coping. After three months, the same data were collected as well as information about satisfaction with home health care.

Differences in strain, depressive symptomatology, and caregiving appraisal between those caregivers receiving home health care and those not receiving this support were assessed with t-tests and ANCOVA. Concepts used in the explanation of strain and depressive symptomatology were analyzed with multiple regression. The buffering effect of social support was tested with multiple regression with interaction effects.

Strain and depressive symptomatology were not significantly lower and positive caregiving appraisal was not significantly higher after three months between those caregivers with home health care and those without this support, even when controlling for their pretest measures. Taken together, problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping, and positive caregiving appraisal explained strain and depressive symptomatology among family caregivers prior to receiving home health care (R$\sp2□'s □$=.49 and.50, respectively). Positive caregiving appraisal was a significant variable in regression at pretest for strain and depressive symptomatology (B's = $-$.71 and $-$.70, respectively) and at post test for strain and depressive symptomatology (B's = $-$.72 and $-$.61, respectively).

Recommendations for development of instruments to measure factors involved in caregiving of functionally impaired older adults were indicated. Gaps in caregiving research concerning specific populations were addressed.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-07, Section: B, page: 3697.

Thesis (PH.D.)--CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY (HEALTH SCIENCES), 1995.

School code: 0499.