The role of family functioning, attachment style, and care setting on pre-loss grief symptoms and burden in caregivers of terminally cancer patients.

Abstract

The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to investigate the associations between caregivers' attachment styles, family functioning, the care setting and pre-loss grief symptoms, the burden, and the caregivers' belief of patients' awareness of the terminal cancer diagnosis. A total of 101 caregivers of patients with terminal cancer in residential hospice care and home care were interviewed and completed self-report questionnaires. Insecure attachment style and home care setting were associated with worse psychological effects in caregivers of patients with terminal cancer. Moreover, family cohesion can promote low social burden and the patient's awareness of their terminal condition. This study highlighted the importance of evaluating the caregiver's attachment style, family functioning, and the setting of care during the terminal phase of the patient's life. These findings will be useful to planning interventions to prevent burden and the pre-loss grief symptoms in the caregivers.