Mediating effect of social support on the relationship between resilience and burden in caregivers of people with dementia

Pablo Ruisoto; Israel Contador; Bernardino Fernández-Calvo; Lídia Serra; Cristina Jenaro; Noelia Flores; Francisco Ramos; Jesús Rivera-Navarro

doi:10.1016/j.archger.2019.103952

Mediating effect of social support on the relationship between resilience and burden in caregivers of people with dementia

Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2020 Jan-Feb:86:103952. doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2019.103952. Epub 2019 Sep 12.

Authors

Pablo Ruisoto¹, Israel Contador², Bernardino Fernández-Calvo³, Lídia Serra⁴, Cristina Jenaro⁵, Noelia Flores⁶, Francisco Ramos⁷, Jesús Rivera-Navarro⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Basic Psychology, Psychobiology and Methodology of Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Psychology. University of Salamanca, Spain. Electronic address: ruisoto@usal.es.
² Department of Basic Psychology, Psychobiology and Methodology of Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Psychology. University of Salamanca, Spain. Electronic address: icontador@usal.es.
³ Department of Psychology, Federal University of Paraiba, Brazil. Electronic address: bfcalvo@usal.es.
⁴ Piaget Institute of Almada, Lisbon, Portugal. Electronic address: lidia.ramos.serra@gmail.com.
⁵ Department of Personality, Assessment and Psychological Treatment, Faculty of Psychology, University of Salamanca, Spain. Electronic address: crisje@usal.es.
⁶ Department of Personality, Assessment and Psychological Treatment, Faculty of Psychology, University of Salamanca, Spain. Electronic address: nrobaina@usal.es.
⁷ Department of Personality, Assessment and Psychological Treatment, Faculty of Psychology, University of Salamanca, Spain. Electronic address: frc@usal.es.
⁸ Department of Sociology and Communication. University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain. Electronic address: jrivera@usal.es.

PMID: 31542631
DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2019.103952

Abstract

Objective: This study examined different predictive factors of burden in a sample of family caregivers of patients with dementia (PWD). In particular, the influence of social support and resilience on burden was tested, considering potential mediation effects.

Methods: A total of 283 primary and family caregivers in Spain were evaluated using a standardized protocol to assess sociodemographic characteristics, clinical state of PWD and specific variables of caregiving and care providers.

Results: The role of caregiver of PWD was more common in women, reporting significantly higher levels of burden than men. Resilience and social support accounted for most of the variance in burden. Furthermore, social support partially mediated the relationship between resilience and burden in caregivers.

Conclusions: Caregivers' resilience and social support are protective factors against burden in caregivers of PWD. Both factors should be considered for tailored interventions aimed at reducing the health costs of burden in this population.

Keywords: Burden; Caregiving; Dementia; Psychological; Social support; Stress.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adaptation, Psychological*
Adult
Aged
Caregivers / psychology*
Cost of Illness
Dementia / nursing*
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Resilience, Psychological*
Social Support*
Spain