scholarly journals Positive Aspects of Caregiving in Incident and Long-Term Caregivers: Role of Social Engagement and Distress

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 254-254
Author(s):  
Chelsea Liu ◽  
Victoria Marino ◽  
Virginia Howard ◽  
William Haley ◽  
David Roth
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Care Recipient ◽  
Dementia Caregivers ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
White Caregivers ◽  
Positive Aspects Of Caregiving

Abstract Positive aspects of caregiving (PAC) are positive appraisals that caregivers report about their role such as feeling appreciated or important, and may increase with caregiver adaptation over time. We aimed to examine differences in PAC by caregiving duration and social engagement, controlling for measures of distress. A total of 283 African American or White caregivers from the Caregiving Transitions Study with a wide range of caregiving durations were included in our analysis. We used multivariable linear regressions to model total PAC score on years of caregiving and social engagement (social network, monthly social contact), adjusting for age, sex, race, marital status, relationship to care recipient, dementia status of care recipient and measures of distress (depressive symptoms, perceived stress, caregiving strain). Caregivers with higher social engagement reported significantly higher PAC while caregivers with longer duration of care reported marginally higher PAC in most analytic models. African American caregivers reported higher PAC compared to White caregivers. Dementia caregivers reported lower PAC than non-dementia caregivers in models that adjusted for demographic variables and social network size, but the association was attenuated with the addition of caregiving strain. In summary, higher social engagement and longer care duration were associated with higher PAC after adjusting for demographic variables and measures of distress. Future studies should aim to understand how caregivers shift appraisal to positive aspects of their role and explore implementation of interventions targeting PAC in order to improve the caregiving experience.

Change in Social Engagement among Incident Caregivers and Controls: Findings from the Caregiving Transitions Study

2020 ◽  
pp. 089826432096194
Author(s):  
Chelsea Liu ◽  
Chanee D. Fabius ◽  
Virginia J. Howard ◽  
William E. Haley ◽  
David L. Roth
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Social Activities ◽  
Size Change ◽  
Dementia Caregivers ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Social Network Size

Objectives:We aimed to compare incident family caregivers and matched controls on change in social network variables and satisfaction with social activities. Methods: A total of 479 participants from the Caregiving Transitions Study were included in the analysis, 244 (50.9%) of whom began substantial and sustained caregiving between baseline and follow-up interviews. We assessed associations between incident caregiving and change in social network size, change in monthly social contact, and satisfaction with social activities. Results: Incident caregivers reported lower satisfaction with social activities and greater decline in social network size than controls. Among only the caregivers, dementia caregivers reported greater decline in social network size while caregivers who were spouses, experienced higher strain, and provided more hours of care reported lower satisfaction with social activities. Discussion: Social engagement declined more among incident caregivers than controls. Future studies should aim to understand why subgroups of caregivers reported lower social engagement.

scholarly journals Changes in Social Engagement for Incident Caregivers Compared to Controls

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 659-659
Author(s):  
Chelsea Liu ◽  
Marcela Blinka ◽  
Chanee Fabius ◽  
Virginia Howard
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Geographic Region ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Leisure Satisfaction ◽  
Dementia Caregivers ◽  
Social Network Size ◽  
Spouse Caregivers ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract Maintaining social engagement is important for the health and well-being of older adults who become caregivers. We assessed the association between incident caregiving and leisure satisfaction as well as the 10-year change in social network size among 245 incident caregivers and 248 matched controls. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to adjust for age, gender, race, education level, income, and geographic region. Compared to controls, incident caregivers had significantly lower levels of leisure satisfaction (p<0.01) and greater declines in total social network size (p<0.01). Incident caregivers and controls did not differ on the change in the number of social network members contacted monthly. Among incident caregivers, dementia caregivers and spouse caregivers had lower leisure satisfaction compared to non-dementia caregivers and non-spouse caregivers, respectively, but no differences were found on social network measures. Future studies should further examine social engagement among caregivers and its influence on their health outcomes.

scholarly journals Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and invariance assessment of the perceived powerlessness scale among youth in Baltimore

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (10-11) ◽  
pp. 1644-1656 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sahnah Lim ◽  
Terrinieka W Powell ◽  
Qian-Li Xue ◽  
Vivian L Towe ◽  
Ralph B Taylor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
African American ◽  
Urban Youth ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Factor Analyses ◽  
Future Health ◽  
Confirmatory Factor Analyses ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Confirmatory Factor

Generalized perceived powerlessness is an important psychosocial construct that determines a wide range of health behaviors and outcomes. This study has two aims: (1) examine the structure of the newly developed perceived powerlessness scale using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and (2) assess the scale’s invariance across key demographic variables using multi-group confirmatory factor analysis among a random household sample of African American and White youth (aged 15–24 years) residing in Baltimore, MD. Our study results demonstrated that the powerlessness scale is valid among a demographically diverse sample of urban youth, showing promise for use in future health behavior and outcome studies.

scholarly journals ASSOCIATIONS OF CARE RECIPIENT DIFFICULTIES WITH BURDEN AMONG AFRICAN AMERICAN AND WHITE DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. 428-428
Author(s):  
O J Clay ◽  
C Scott ◽  
F A Cothran ◽  
F Epps ◽  
I C Williams
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Care Recipient ◽  
Dementia Caregivers

scholarly journals Tools for advancing research into social networks and cognitive function in older adults

2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 533-539 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroko H. Dodge ◽  
Oscar Ybarra ◽  
Jeffrey A. Kaye
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Brain Aging ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Dementia Risk ◽  
Wide Range

People are good for your brain. Decades of research have shown that individuals who have a larger number of people in their social network or higher quality ties with individuals within their network have lower rates of morbidity and mortality across a wide range of health outcomes. Among these outcomes, cognitive function, especially in the context of brain aging, has been one area of particular interest with regard to social engagement, or more broadly, socially integrated lifestyles. Many studies have observed an association between the size of a person's social network or levels of social engagement and the risk for cognitive decline or dementia (e.g. see review by Fratiglioni et al., 2004). The dementia risk reduction associated with a larger social network or social engagement shown by some epidemiological studies is fairly large. The population effect size of increasing social engagement on delaying dementia disease progression could exceed that of current FDA approved medications for Alzheimer's disease.

scholarly journals Typology of Technology-Supported Dementia Care Interventions From an In-Home Telehealth Trial

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (12) ◽  
pp. 1724-1746 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sohyun Kim ◽  
Clarissa Shaw ◽  
Kristine N. Williams ◽  
Maria Hein
Keyword(s):  
Positive Reinforcement ◽  
Psychological Symptoms ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Dementia Care ◽  
Video Data ◽  
Care Recipient ◽  
Dementia Caregivers ◽  
Caregiver Support ◽  
Care Experience ◽  
Wide Range

Identifying the needs of dementia caregivers is critical for supporting dementia home care. This study identified a typology of expert interventions delivered to dementia caregivers during an innovative telehealth trial that used in-home video recordings to directly observe care challenges. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze narrative notes describing interventions that were developed based on video data submitted by 33 caregiver–care recipient dyads. Two major themes emerged: education and skills for dementia care and caregiver support. Ten subthemes included education and skills related to: behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, disease expectations, safety, activities of daily living, medical care optimization, and medication utilization and caregiver support related to: respite, positive reinforcement, social and financial support, and self-care. Families providing in-home dementia care experience a wide range of care challenges. By using video data, dementia care experts were able to witness and evaluate challenging care situations and provide individualized feedback.

scholarly journals Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Racial and Ethnic Differences in Dementia Caregivers’ Well-Being

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chelsea Liu ◽  
Adrian N S Badana ◽  
Julia Burgdorf ◽  
Chanee D Fabius ◽  
David L Roth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Ethnic Differences ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Dementia Caregivers ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
White Caregivers ◽  
Racial Ethnic ◽  
Study Bias ◽  
African American Caregivers

Abstract Background and Objectives Studies comparing racial/ethnic differences on measures of psychological and physical well-being for dementia caregivers have reported differences between minority and white caregivers. Recruitment methods often differ for minority and white participants due to enrollment targets and may lead to biased comparisons, especially in convenience samples. We aimed to examine racial/ethnic differences in dementia caregiver outcomes and to determine whether differences vary between studies with population-based or convenience samples. Research Design and Methods We systematically reviewed articles with primary data from PubMed, Google Scholar, and PsycINFO. We included studies comparing African American or Hispanic/Latino to white dementia caregivers on measures of psychological well-being or physical well-being. Reviewers screened titles and abstracts, reviewed full texts and conducted risk-of-bias assessments. Meta-analyses were conducted to assess effects by race/ethnicity and study bias. Results A total of 159 effects were extracted from 38 studies, 2 of which were population based. Random-effects models revealed small but statistically significant effects with better psychological well-being in African American caregivers compared with white caregivers in both population-based (d = −0.22) and convenience sample studies (d = −0.21). Hispanics/Latino caregivers reported lower levels of physical well-being than white caregivers (d = 0.12), though these effects varied by level of rated study bias. Discussion and Implications Consistency across study methods raises confidence in the validity of previous reports of better psychological well-being in African American caregivers. Future studies should use population-based samples with subgroups of Hispanic/Latino, Asian American, and American Indian caregivers that are culturally distinct on factors such as country of origin and tribe.

Extraverts Have Larger Social Network Layers

2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 161-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas V. Pollet ◽  
Sam G. B. Roberts ◽  
Robin I. M. Dunbar
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Outer Layer ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Emotional Intensity ◽  
Emotional Closeness ◽  
Network Layer ◽  
Network Layers ◽  
Social Network Size

Previous studies showed that extraversion influences social network size. However, it is unclear how extraversion affects the size of different layers of the network, and how extraversion relates to the emotional intensity of social relationships. We examined the relationships between extraversion, network size, and emotional closeness for 117 individuals. The results demonstrated that extraverts had larger networks at every layer (support clique, sympathy group, outer layer). The results were robust and were not attributable to potential confounds such as sex, though they were modest in size (raw correlations between extraversion and size of network layer, .20 < r < .23). However, extraverts were not emotionally closer to individuals in their network, even after controlling for network size. These results highlight the importance of considering not just social network size in relation to personality, but also the quality of relationships with network members.

scholarly journals Adult Day Service Use Decreases Likelihood of Depressive Symptoms Among Black Dementia Caregivers

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 618-618
Author(s):  
Lauren Parker ◽  
Laura Gitlin
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Service Use ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Caregiver Training ◽  
Dementia Caregivers ◽  
Adult Day Services ◽  
Black Caregivers ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Day Services ◽  
Intervention Trials

Abstract Black Americans are more likely than others to age with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) in the community and rely on family members for support. Despite reported positive aspects of caregiving, Black caregivers report greater need for daytime respite and caregiving support. Little is known regarding the health-promoting benefits of daytime respite, like adult day services (ADS), among Black caregivers. Using a sample of 190 Philadelphia-area Black caregivers for community-living persons with dementia, pooled from two behavioral intervention trials: Advancing Caregiver Training and Care of Persons with Dementia in their Environments, the study examined the association between ADS use and depressive symptoms. About 36% of the caregivers used adult day services for their family member with AD. Controlling for demographic variables, social support, self-rated health, religious coping, caregiver burden, and number of years caregiving Black caregivers who utilized ADS had lower depressive symptoms (β= -1.60, p&lt;.05) relative not using ADS.

scholarly journals Relationships between medical students’ co-regulatory network characteristics and self-regulated learning: a social network study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Derk Bransen ◽  
Marjan J. B. Govaerts ◽  
Dominique M. A. Sluijsmans ◽  
Jeroen Donkers ◽  
Piet G. C. Van den Bossche ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Regulatory Network ◽  
Regulatory Networks ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Tie Strength ◽  
Network Characteristics ◽  
Self Regulated Learning ◽  
Regulated Learning

Abstract Introduction Recent conceptualizations of self-regulated learning acknowledge the importance of co-regulation, i.e., students’ interactions with others in their networks to support self-regulation. Using a social network approach, the aim of this study is to explore relationships between characteristics of medical students’ co-regulatory networks, perceived learning opportunities, and self-regulated learning. Methods The authors surveyed 403 undergraduate medical students during their clinical clerkships (response rate 65.5%). Using multiple regression analysis, structural equation modelling techniques, and analysis of variance, the authors explored relationships between co-regulatory network characteristics (network size, network diversity, and interaction frequency), students’ perceptions of learning opportunities in the workplace setting, and self-reported self-regulated learning. Results Across all clerkships, data showed positive relationships between tie strength and self-regulated learning (β = 0.095, p < 0.05) and between network size and tie strength (β = 0.530, p < 0.001), and a negative relationship between network diversity and tie strength (β = −0.474, p < 0.001). Students’ perceptions of learning opportunities showed positive relationships with both self-regulated learning (β = 0.295, p < 0.001) and co-regulatory network size (β = 0.134, p < 0.01). Characteristics of clerkship contexts influenced both co-regulatory network characteristics (size and tie strength) and relationships between network characteristics, self-regulated learning, and students’ perceptions of learning opportunities. Discussion The present study reinforces the importance of co-regulatory networks for medical students’ self-regulated learning during clinical clerkships. Findings imply that supporting development of strong networks aimed at frequent co-regulatory interactions may enhance medical students’ self-regulated learning in challenging clinical learning environments. Social network approaches offer promising ways of further understanding and conceptualising self- and co-regulated learning in clinical workplaces.

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