Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, the Netherlands.
Aging Ment Health. 2020 Feb;24(2):221-226. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2018.1531374. Epub 2018 Dec 31.
While informal caregivers often feel burdened by the care for a person with dementia, they can also experience positive consequences due to caregiving; caregiver gains. One of these, relatively overlooked, caregiver gains is heightened self-esteem. We assessed the predictive ability of non-modifiable (caregiver sociodemographic- and dementia related-) and modifiable (psychological-) factors for caregiver self-esteem). A cross-sectional study in which 201 caregivers, who spent at least eight hours a week on caring for a community-residing person with dementia, completed a semi-structured interview and five questionnaires. One two-block (1: non-modifiable-; 2: modifiable variables) hierarchic multiple regression analysis was used to assess which variables predicted self-esteem. None of the non-modifiable variables significantly predicted self-esteem. Regarding the modifiable variables, depression and relationship quality with the person with dementia significantly predicted self-esteem (adjusted R = .460, β = -.207, = .015 and β = .632, < .001 respectively). Caregivers who experience a better relationship quality with the person with dementia, and fewer depression symptoms, experience a higher level of self-esteem. Interventions focused on heightening self-esteem should strive to optimize these factors to enhance the lives of informal dementia caregivers.
虽然非专业照护者在照顾痴呆症患者时常常感到负担沉重，但他们也可能因照护而获得积极的结果，即照护者获益。这些获益中，有一个相对被忽视的是自尊心的提高。我们评估了不可改变的因素（照护者的社会人口统计学和与痴呆症相关的因素）和可改变的因素（心理因素）对照护者自尊心的预测能力。这是一项横断面研究，其中 201 名照护者每周至少花费 8 小时照顾居住在社区中的痴呆症患者，他们完成了半结构化访谈和五份问卷。使用两阶段（1：不可改变的变量；2：可改变的变量）层次多重回归分析来评估哪些变量可以预测自尊心。没有一个不可改变的变量可以显著预测自尊心。关于可改变的变量，抑郁和与痴呆症患者的关系质量显著预测了自尊心（调整后的 R²=0.460，β=-.207，p=0.015 和 β=0.632，p<0.001）。与痴呆症患者关系质量更好、抑郁症状更少的照护者自尊心更高。旨在提高自尊心的干预措施应该努力优化这些因素，以提高非专业痴呆症照护者的生活质量。
