Filial Maturity, Resolution of a Parent's Disease, and Well-Being in Offspring of Parents Diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease.

BACKGROUND

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is one of the most common forms of dementia. However, research dealing with the experience of adult children of a parent diagnosed with AD, regardless of whether the offspring is a caregiver, is not well developed.

OBJECTIVE

The current research is a cross-sectional study that examines the associations between filial maturity, offspring's coming to terms with their parent's AD, and the well-being of the offspring.

METHOD

one hundred and forty Israeli adult children of parents with AD participated in the study and completed self-report questionnaires assessing their filial maturity, resolution of their parent's diagnosis with AD, the adult children's well-being, and the severity of the parent's AD according neurologist's report.

RESULTS

Results showed that higher resolution of the parent's disease was positively associated with well-being. In addition, filial maturity was negatively associated with resolution of the parent's disease, and resolution of the parent's disease mediated the association between filial maturity and well-being.

CONCLUSION

Resolution of a parent's AD is highly challenging for offspring with high filial maturity, and the lack of resolution affects their well-being. Offering prolonged emotional support for offspring of parents diagnosed with AD may improve their ability to integrate the new reality into their lives and foster their well-being.