Department of Psychology, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, CO, USA.
Psychology Service, South Texas Veterans Healthcare System, San Antonio, TX, USA.
Aging Ment Health. 2024 Mar-Apr;28(3):457-465. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2023.2282683. Epub 2023 Nov 22.
Family conflict is an understudied aspect of the caregiver experience. Drawing from the stress process model, the present study examined the prevalence and correlates of conflict over (e.g. conflict over the care recipient's illness and need for facility placement) and (e.g. lack of involvement and support from family members).
Adult child and spouse caregivers ( = 579) of persons with physical or cognitive impairment from clinic and internet samples completed the Caregiver Reaction Scale (CRS) to assess each topic of conflict and burden.
Most caregivers reported conflict with family members over care strategies (63%) or illness beliefs (55%). Clinic caregivers reported greater illness beliefs conflict than online caregivers. Adult children reported greater illness beliefs and family care strategies than spouses. Male caregivers were more likely than female caregivers to report care strategies conflict. Caregiver overload was significantly associated with family care strategies conflict. Both conflicts were positively associated with caregiver burden.
Findings further support that family conflict is a widespread concern associated with burden among online and help-seeking caregivers. Caregiving relationship type and gender may increase likelihood of each conflict. Findings inform recommendations for clinical intervention and assessment of family caregivers.
家庭冲突是照顾者体验中一个研究不足的方面。本研究从压力过程模型出发，调查了（例如，对护理对象的疾病和机构安置需求的冲突）和（例如，家庭成员缺乏参与和支持）方面的冲突的普遍性及其相关因素。
来自诊所和互联网样本的身体或认知功能受损者的成年子女和配偶照顾者（n=579）完成了照顾者反应量表（CRS），以评估每个冲突和负担主题。
大多数照顾者报告与家庭成员在照顾策略（63%）或疾病观念（55%）上存在冲突。诊所照顾者报告的疾病观念冲突比在线照顾者多。成年子女比配偶报告更多的疾病观念和家庭照顾策略冲突。男性照顾者比女性照顾者更有可能报告照顾策略冲突。照顾者负担过重与家庭照顾策略冲突显著相关。这两种冲突都与照顾者负担呈正相关。
研究结果进一步支持家庭冲突是与在线和寻求帮助的照顾者负担相关的普遍问题。照顾关系类型和性别可能会增加每种冲突的可能性。研究结果为临床干预和家庭照顾者的评估提供了建议。
