Daley Ryan T, O'Connor Maureen K, Shirk Steven D, Beard Renée L
Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Bedford VAMC, Bedford, MA 01730, USA.
College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA 01610, USA.
J Aging Stud. 2017 Jan;40:57-63. doi: 10.1016/j.jaging.2017.01.003. Epub 2017 Feb 10.
Spouses provide the majority of care for individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The qualitative literature suggests that couples adopt one of two perspectives in their accounts of AD: a We/Us approach where couples describe experiences as a composite whole or an I/Me approach where couples describe themselves as experiencing the impact of AD separately. Little is known about how these perspectives relate to the individual characteristics of either affected party. This study investigated the experiences of dyads taking both approaches. Eleven spousal dyads were divided into I/Me (n=5) and We/Us (n=6) groupings based on qualitative analyses completed as part of a larger project. Diagnosed individuals were given measures of cognitive and functional ability and caregivers completed anxiety, depression, burden, relationship satisfaction, and positive aspects of caregiving measures. We found no significant differences between groups on patient cognitive or functional ability, or caregiver anxiety, depression, burden, or relationship satisfaction. However, We/Us caregivers expressed more positive aspects of caregiving than I/Me caregivers. These findings suggest the I/Me approach is not associated with differences in variables of patient cognitive status or functional ability or caregiver emotional health, perceived burden, or relationship satisfaction. Caregivers taking a We/Us approach, however, were able to identify more positive aspects of caregiving. This may be related to mutual compassion, a characteristic of the We/Us approach, which may be protective.
配偶为患有阿尔茨海默病（AD）的人提供了大部分护理。定性文献表明，夫妻在描述AD时会采用两种观点之一：“我们”的方法，即夫妻将经历描述为一个复合整体；或者“我”的方法，即夫妻将自己描述为分别经历AD的影响。对于这些观点如何与任何一方受影响者的个体特征相关，我们知之甚少。本研究调查了采用这两种方法的二元组的经历。作为一个更大项目的一部分，基于定性分析，将11对配偶二元组分为“我”组（n = 5）和“我们”组（n = 6）。对被诊断的个体进行认知和功能能力测量，护理人员完成焦虑、抑郁、负担、关系满意度以及护理积极方面的测量。我们发现两组在患者认知或功能能力、护理人员焦虑、抑郁、负担或关系满意度方面没有显著差异。然而，“我们”组的护理人员比“我”组的护理人员表达了更多护理的积极方面。这些发现表明，“我”的方法与患者认知状态、功能能力、护理人员情绪健康、感知负担或关系满意度等变量的差异无关。然而，采用“我们”方法的护理人员能够识别出更多护理的积极方面。这可能与相互同情有关，“我们”方法的一个特点，这可能具有保护作用。
