PREDICTORS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AND SLEEP QUALITY IN FORMER FAMILY CAREGIVERS OF PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA

Abstract

The detrimental effects of active caregiving on the health of caregivers has been examined, but less is known about caregiver health after caregiving ends. Research revealed stress-related health conditions diagnosed during caregiving failed to improve for many years post-caregiving. The purpose of this cross-sectional, correlational study was to examine the influence of caregiver personal variables (e.g. personality traits, coping strategies, pre-loss depression), environmental variables (e.g. length of nursing home placement, length of post-caregiving), and post-caregiving guilt on psychological health (e.g. depression, anxiety, sleep quality) in former family caregivers of people with dementia. A convenience sample of former dementia caregivers (N=171) completed a 147-item online survey, containing 6 standardized instruments and demographic questions. Using Richard Lazarus’ transactional theory of stress as a foundation, the relationships between post-caregiving guilt, personal and environmental variables, and psychological health were examined with Pearson correlation coefficients and hierarchical linear regression models. Post-caregiving guilt was moderately correlated with depression (r=.39) and anxiety (r=.34). After controlling for relevant covariates, use of dysfunctional coping strategies and neurotic personality explained 32% of the variance in depression and 24% of the variance in anxiety. Dysfunctional coping, pre-loss depression, and extraverted personality explained 17% of the variance in sleep quality. The study’s findings highlighted a prominent relationship between personal variables, guilt, and psychological health in former dementia caregivers. Implications for future research and practice include: further exploratory studies of associations between caregiver characteristics and post-caregiving health, and increasing health care providers’ awareness about risk factors for poor psychological health in this population.