Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC.
Psychooncology. 2019 Jun;28(6):1293-1300. doi: 10.1002/pon.5081. Epub 2019 Apr 26.
Research has demonstrated that serving in the caregiver role is often associated with increased symptoms of depression, stress, and anxiety, but some people fare better than others in managing the burden of caregiving. The goal of the present study was to examine the potential moderating role of goal adjustment (the ability to disengage from unattainable goals and reengage in alterative ones) on the relation between caregiver burden and distress in family caregivers of cancer patients.
Caregivers of adult family members diagnosed with cancer in the past 3 years participated (N = 102). Participants were consented and completed online questionnaires on psychological distress, caregiver burden, and goal adjustment.
The ability to disengage from unattainable goals was associated with lower anxiety and stress in the face of increasing caregiver burden. By contrast, the ability to reengage in alternative goals was associated with lower depression as burden increased.
The present study suggests that goal adjustment may play an important moderating role in the relationship between caregiver burden and distress. Caregivers who are better able to disengage from unattainable goals may experience less stress and anxiety, and caregivers who are better able to reengage in alternative goals experience less depressed mood. This study provides preliminary evidence that learning different ways to approach and adjust goals may reduce depression, anxiety, and stress in family caregivers.
研究表明，担任照顾者角色通常与抑郁、压力和焦虑症状的增加有关，但有些人在应对照顾负担方面比其他人表现得更好。本研究的目的是探讨目标调整（从无法实现的目标中解脱出来并重新投入替代目标的能力）在癌症患者家庭照顾者的照顾负担与痛苦之间关系中的潜在调节作用。
过去 3 年内被诊断患有癌症的成年家庭成员的照顾者参与了研究（N=102）。参与者同意并在线完成了关于心理困扰、照顾者负担和目标调整的问卷。
从无法实现的目标中解脱出来的能力与面对不断增加的照顾负担时的焦虑和压力较低有关。相比之下，当负担增加时，重新投入替代目标的能力与抑郁程度降低有关。
本研究表明，目标调整可能在照顾者负担与痛苦之间的关系中起着重要的调节作用。能够更好地从无法实现的目标中解脱出来的照顾者可能会经历较少的压力和焦虑，而能够更好地重新投入替代目标的照顾者则会经历较少的抑郁情绪。这项研究提供了初步证据，表明学习不同的方法来处理和调整目标可能会减轻家庭照顾者的抑郁、焦虑和压力。
