Resilience of family caregivers of PwD in Korea: A scoping review

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundFamily caregivers play a important role in living the journey of life of person with dementia through their involvement in caregiving as in informal carers in South Korea. The aim of this scoping review was to examine research theory, measurement instruments, correlates, interventions, and outcomes of resilience for family caregivers of persons with people with dementia (PwD).MethodThis scoping review was conducted according to Arksey and O'Malley’s scoping review framework and Joanna Briggs Institute’s manual for scoping reviews. Multiple databases, including Ovid‐MEDLINE, Ovid‐EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Korean databases were searched using controlled vocabulary and text words. Two review authors independently screened and selected relevant studies.ResultMultiple database search identified 18 studies, published between January 2000 and February 2022. Most studies (72.2%) used theoretical framework, such as modified McCubbin and McCubbin’s Family stress, adjustment, and adaptation model and Walsh’s Family resilience model. Eight measurement instruments have been applied to measure the resilience for family caregivers of PwD. However, all the used instruments were not conducted the cross‐cultural adaptation and construct validation in Korean family caregivers of PwD. Moreover, some studies (4 of 18 studies) were used resilience tool focused the individual level rather than family and community levels.ConclusionThis review findings indicate that more rigorous research is needed to measure family resilience using cross‐cultural adapted and validated tools and to test the guided theory for family caregiver of PwD, considering Korean cultural and social context. Moreover, family resilience enhancement programs, considering identified correlates in this review are needed to develop and implement to help family caregiver achieve coping and adaptation with persistent distress in caregiving for their PwD.