Nikolaidou Evdokia, Tsatali Marianna, Eleftheriou Marina, Wang Helen, Karagiozi Konstantina, Margaritidou Petrina, Tsolaki Magdalini
Greek Association of Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders (GAADRD), K. Karamanli 164, 54248 Thessaloniki, Greece.
Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (CIRI-AUTh), 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.
Brain Sci. 2022 Mar 29;12(4):459. doi: 10.3390/brainsci12040459.
: It can be easily inferred that dementia caregivers were severely affected by the general home confinement, or 'lockdown', due to their caregiving roles. : The aim of the current study is to investigate how the quarantine measures applied during the COVID-19 pandemic affected the emotional function (specifically the emotional management, emotional experience, and stress symptoms) and the negative thoughts, as well as the adaptability skills, of Greek dementia caregivers. : In total, 303 participants (138 in the non-caregiving adults-control group; 165 in the dementia caregivers-experimental group) were recruited from the day centers of the Greek Association of Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders (GAADRD) from June 2020 to January 2021 in Thessaloniki, Greece. The caregiving population was split into group 1 (those who participated in support groups) and group 2 (those who did not participate in support groups). A self-reported questionnaire was created for research purposes and was digitally administered to participants via Google forms. : During the quarantine period, dementia caregivers had more difficulties in emotional management, especially in regards to stress symptoms, which was measured via the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), in comparison to the control group. In regards to the caregiving populations, caregivers from group 1 were more able to manage their emotions according to their self-reports, but had increased agony and loneliness. Moreover, statistical significance was found between emotional management, negative feelings, and stress symptoms in those from group 2 who self-reported that the PwD deteriorated. This evidence was not found in group 1. Finally, there were no differences in the means of negative thoughts about the pandemic, as well as in the adaptation skills, both in dementia caregivers and in the control group, according to their self-reports. : It seems that different emotional aspects were affected in the dementia caregivers' population, and, therefore, future psychotherapeutic interventions should focus on those most severely affected by the restrictive measures imposed.
可以很容易推断出，由于其照顾者的角色，痴呆症患者的照顾者受到普遍的居家隔离或“封锁”的严重影响。本研究的目的是调查在新冠疫情期间实施的隔离措施如何影响希腊痴呆症患者照顾者的情绪功能（特别是情绪管理、情绪体验和压力症状）、消极想法以及适应能力。2020年6月至2021年1月期间，从希腊塞萨洛尼基的阿尔茨海默病及相关疾病希腊协会（GAADRD）的日间护理中心招募了总共303名参与者（非照顾者成年人对照组138名；痴呆症患者照顾者实验组165名）。照顾者群体分为第1组（参加支持小组的人）和第2组（未参加支持小组的人）。为研究目的创建了一份自我报告问卷，并通过谷歌表单以数字方式分发给参与者。在隔离期间，与对照组相比，痴呆症患者照顾者在情绪管理方面遇到更多困难，尤其是在通过贝克焦虑量表（BAI）测量的压力症状方面。就照顾者群体而言，根据他们的自我报告，第1组的照顾者更能够管理自己的情绪，但痛苦和孤独感增加。此外，在第2组中，那些自我报告称痴呆症患者病情恶化的人在情绪管理、消极情绪和压力症状之间发现了统计学意义。在第1组中未发现这一证据。最后，根据他们的自我报告，痴呆症患者照顾者和对照组在对疫情的消极想法以及适应能力方面没有差异。似乎痴呆症患者照顾者群体的不同情绪方面受到了影响，因此，未来的心理治疗干预应关注那些受限制措施影响最严重的方面。
