Department of Psychology, 194379University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Department of Sociology and Criminology, 8664University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Dementia (London). 2021 Oct;20(7):2323-2339. doi: 10.1177/1471301221994317. Epub 2021 Feb 17.
Research on caregiver identity in the context of memory impairment has focused primarily on more advanced stages of the cognitive impairment trajectory (e.g., dementia caregivers), failing to capture the complex dynamics of early caregiver identity development (e.g., MCI; mild cognitive impairment caregivers). The aim of this study was to develop a nuanced understanding of how caregiver identity develops in family and friends of persons living with MCI. Using constructivist grounded theory (ConGT), this study explored caregiver identity development from 18 in-depth interviews with spouses ( = 13), children ( = 3), and friends ( = 2) of persons recently diagnosed with MCI. The overarching themes influencing MCI caregiver identity development included MCI changes, care-related experiences, "caregiver" interpretation, and approach/avoidance coping. These themes influenced how participants primarily identified, represented as or (i.e., between their previous identity and a caregiver identity). Irrespective of their current self-identification, all conveyed thinking about their "future self," as providing more intensive care. MCI caregiver identity development in family and friends is a fluid and evolving process. Nearly all participants had taken on care tasks, yet the majority of these individuals did not clearly identify as caregivers. Irrespective of how participants identified, they were engaging in care, and would likely benefit from support with navigating these changes and their new, ambiguous, and evolving roles.
在记忆障碍的背景下，针对照顾者身份的研究主要集中在认知障碍轨迹的较后期阶段（例如痴呆症照顾者），未能捕捉到早期照顾者身份发展的复杂动态（例如 MCI；轻度认知障碍照顾者）。本研究的目的是深入了解患有 MCI 的人的家人和朋友的照顾者身份是如何发展的。本研究使用建构主义扎根理论（ConGT），通过对 18 名配偶（=13）、子女（=3）和朋友（=2）的深入访谈，探讨了 MCI 照顾者身份的发展。影响 MCI 照顾者身份发展的总体主题包括 MCI 变化、与护理相关的经历、“照顾者”的解释以及应对方式。这些主题影响了参与者如何主要认同自己的身份，表现为 或 （即，在他们以前的身份和照顾者身份之间）。无论他们目前的自我认同如何，所有参与者都表达了对自己“未来自我”的思考，因为他们将提供更密集的护理。家庭和朋友中的 MCI 照顾者身份发展是一个流动和不断发展的过程。几乎所有参与者都承担了照顾任务，但这些人中的大多数并没有明确将自己视为照顾者。无论参与者如何认同自己的身份，他们都在从事护理工作，并且可能需要支持来应对这些变化以及他们新的、模糊的和不断演变的角色。
