scholarly journals Longitudinal Correlates of Depressive Symptoms and Positive and Negative Affects in Family Caregivers of People with Dementia

Author(s):  
Carlos Vara-Garcia ◽  
Brent T Mausbach ◽  
Rosa Romero-Moreno ◽  
Andrés Losada-Baltar ◽  
Dilip V. Jeste ◽  
...  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Rosa Romero-Moreno ◽  
María Márquez-González ◽  
Samara Barrera-Caballero ◽  
Carlos Vara-García ◽  
Javier Olazarán ◽  
...  

Background: While most intervention studies conducted with dementia family caregivers have focused on depressive symptoms as the main outcome, no study has analyzed the effects of an intervention on comorbid clinical presentations of depressive and anxious symptomatology. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the association between clinical depressive and anxious symptomatology at baseline and treatment responses of dementia family caregivers using samples from two randomized intervention trials with the same pre-post design. Methods: Specifically, the effects on depressive and anxious comorbidity of three intervention conditions (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and a control group (CG)) were analyzed. Participants were 130 dementia family caregivers. In addition to sociodemographic variables, depressive and anxious symptomatology were measured. Results: Caregivers with clinical depressive and anxiety comorbid symptoms at baseline recovered less well from depressive symptoms after CBT (45.45%) and ACT (47.72%) interventions than caregivers with non-comorbidity (100%recovery in both treatments). No significant association between comorbidity and treatment responses on depression was found for the control group. Regarding anxiety, among participants with comorbidity at baseline, 36.36%of caregivers in CBT and 30.9 %in the ACT group recovered from anxiety symptoms after treatment, compared to 6.45%in the control group. Similar results were obtained regarding those who recovered both from clinical depressive and anxiety symptoms and showed comorbidity at baseline. Conclusion: Caregivers that show comorbid depressive and anxiety symptoms at baseline may benefit less from interventions than caregivers who do not show comorbidity.


2013 ◽  
Vol 25 (7) ◽  
pp. 1097-1105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Fernanda Barroso Sousa ◽  
Raquel Luiza Santos ◽  
Cynthia Arcoverde ◽  
Pedro Simões ◽  
Tatiana Belfort ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTBackground: The validity of self-reported quality-of-life (QoL) assessments of people with dementia (PWD) is a critical issue. We designed this study to determine the non-cognitive factors that are associated with self-reported QoL and PWD QoL as rated by family caregivers.Methods: Using a cross-sectional study, we assessed QoL of 41 people with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD). The individuals with AD and their family caregivers completed the Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease Scale (QoL-AD), the Assessment Scale of Psychosocial Impact of the Diagnosis of Dementia (ASPIDD), the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scale, the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD), the Pfeffer Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ), and the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were conducted to examine the contribution of the various cofactors.Results: We observed a significant difference (t = 3.292, p < 0.01, d = 0.727) in the QoL measures of PWD after comparing self-reported assessments with the assessments of family caregivers. Linear regression analysis demonstrated that awareness of disease was related to PWD QoL-AD scores. Both the education levels of family caregivers and the depressive symptoms in PWD were related to the family caregivers’ ratings of PWD QoL.Conclusions: The difference between self-reported QoL and family caregivers’ ratings of QoL in people with mild dementia indicated that cognitive impairment was not the primary factor that accounted for the differences in the QoL assessments. Our findings suggested that non-cognitive factors, such as awareness of disease and depressive symptoms, played an important role in the differences between the self-reported AD QoL ratings and the caregivers’ AD QoL ratings. A major implication is that discrete measures such as cognition or level of function are likely to miss important factors that influence QoL.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 150-150
Author(s):  
Yu-Ping Chang ◽  
Young Seo ◽  
Tania Von Visger

Abstract Family caregivers of older adults perceive their roles as beneficial as well as burdensome. They also report physical and psychological symptoms affecting their well-being. Research indicates that caregiver self-efficacy leads to positive outcomes such as decreased caregiver burden and stress. However, it is unclear how self-efficacy is related to their well-being, and how this association might differ by age and gender. We aim to explore the relationships between family caregiver self-efficacy and well-being, and determine if age or gender moderates these relationships. We analyzed responses of 2,652 family caregivers (68% female and 32% male; mean age= 61.2) from the National Study of Caregiving (NSOC) III (2017) cross-sectional survey. We used three composite variables measuring self-efficacy: feeling confident, adjusting changes, and recovering quickly. We used five composite variables measuring well-being: pain, sleep problems, positive and negative affects, and depression/anxiety. We conducted a design-based weighted logistic regression analysis to examine the relationships among variables of interest. Results indicated that low self-efficacy was associated with increased pain, sleep problems, positive and negative affects, controlling for caregivers’ age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Examination of interactions indicated that the relationship between self-efficacy and pain and the relationship between self-efficacy and depression/anxiety were stronger in female caregivers, whereas age did not serve as a moderator in the relationship between self-efficacy and well-being. Our findings provide insight that can guide intervention development to improve family caregiver self-efficacy and well-being. Furthermore, future research may involve interventions with the consideration of family caregivers’ gender.


2021 ◽  
pp. 016402752110434
Author(s):  
Areum Han

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis examined effects of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on depressive symptoms, anxiety, stress, and quality of life in family caregivers of people with dementia. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted within the PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and SCOPUS databases to identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Depending on I2 statistic values for heterogeneity, either a random effects model or fixed effects model was used. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to the types of control groups and MBIs. Results: 15 RCTs met the eligibility criteria. Meta-analyses showed medium to large effects of MBIs on depressive symptoms, anxiety, stress, and quality of life at the immediate posttest. Small to large effects of MBIs were found at follow-up. Conclusions: Future high-quality studies involving different types of MBIs and delivery modes are needed to better understand effects of MBIs on family caregivers of people with dementia and examine effective intervention features.


2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 408-414 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Fabiana Carletti Pessotti ◽  
Lineu Corrêa Fonseca ◽  
Gloria Maria de Almeida Souza Tedrus ◽  
Diana Tosello Laloni

ABSTRACT There are gaps in knowledge regarding how the family caregiver deals with the burden of caring for elderly people with dementia. Objective: To evaluate the family caregivers’ perception of quality of life (QoL), burden, resilience and religiosity and relate them with cognitive aspects and occurrence of neuropsychiatric symptoms of elderly with dementia. Methods: Data from the QoL-AD scale, caregivers’ version, burden interview, resilience scale, Beck depression inventory and PDUREL of 50 family caregivers were correlated with disability assessment for dementia, neuropsychiatric inventory and clinical aspects of 50 elderly with dementia. Results: Linear regression showed that resilience is related with better perceived QoL (p<0.001), severity of dementia (p=0.008), higher intrinsic religiosity (IR) (p=0.044) and lower occurrence of depressive symptoms (p=0.001). Increased burden of family caregivers was associated with a higher occurrence of neuropsychiatric symptoms, education of the elder with dementia, and worse perceived QoL (p<0.001). Lower level of organizational religiosity was associated with severity of dementia. Conclusion: The most resilient caregivers had higher QoL and IR, fewer depressive symptoms, and cared for elders with more severe dementia. Cognitive and sociodemographic aspects, as well as neuropsychiatric symptoms, in the elderly with dementia were associated with QoL and greater caregiver burden.


2014 ◽  
Vol 72 (12) ◽  
pp. 931-937 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raquel Luiza Santos ◽  
Maria Fernanda Barroso de Sousa ◽  
José Pedro Simões-Neto ◽  
Marcela Lima Nogueira ◽  
Tatiana T. Belfort ◽  
...  

Objective To investigate quality of life (QoL) of caregivers of mild and moderate dementia and the aspects related to QoL. Method Cross-sectional assessment of dyads of people with dementia (PwD) and family caregivers (n=88). Results Burden (p<0.05) and depressive symptoms (p<0.001) were related to caregivers’ QoL in both stages of dementia. In mild dementia, caregivers’ depressive symptoms (p<0.001) and PwD neuropsychiatric symptoms (p<0.001) were related to burden. PwD aberrant motor activity (p<0.001) and anxiety (p<0.001), and caregiver-reported QoL domains of friends (p<0.001) and mood (p<0.05) were related to depressive symptoms. In moderate dementia, self-reported QoL (p<0.01) and anxiety (p<0.01), and PwD anxiety (p<0.01) were related to burden. Caregivers’ anxiety (p<0.001) and self-reported QoL (p<0.001) were related to depressive symptoms. Conclusion Burden and depressive symptoms were related to QoL of caregivers of mild and moderate dementia. However, they are driven by different factors according to dementia severity.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abu Sikder ◽  
Francis Yang ◽  
Rhiana Schafer ◽  
Glenna A. Dowling ◽  
Lara Traeger ◽  
...  

Objectives: Due to psychological and physical strain, family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias are at high risk for depression and stress related disorders. We investigated the feasibility of a mobile application (App) intervention delivering Mentalizing Imagery Therapy (MIT), which incorporates guided imagery and mindfulness, to facilitate self-regulation and increase perspective on the mental life of self and others. Method: A 4-week pilot trial of an MIT App for family caregivers of people with dementia was conducted to assess feasibility of use, mood and depression symptom benefit, and relationship changes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted at the study’s conclusion to characterize participants’ perceived benefits. Results: 80% of 21 consented participants downloaded the App, utilized it at least once, and were further analyzed. Of these participants, average usage of audio recordings was 14 ± 10 (SD) days out of 28 possible, and 29 ± 28 individual sessions. Acute improvement in mood from before to after completion of exercises was uniformly observed (p &lt; .001), and after four weeks there was a significant increase in positive affect and a reduction in negative affect. Participants with severe levels of depression (n=3) at baseline exhibited an improvement in symptoms at 4 weeks averaging 30% (p &lt; .05). Semi-structured interviews revealed an increase in the ability to remain “centered" despite caregiving challenges, take the perspective of the loved one, and positively reframe the caregiver experience.Conclusion: App delivery of MIT is feasible for family dementia caregivers. Results showed moderate to high usage of the app for a majority of the users, and promising improvements in mood and depression. These data provide justification for larger, controlled trials.


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