Neuroticism, coping strategies, and negative well-being among caregivers.
Neuroticism was incorporated into a model for predicting the well-being of family caregivers. Using data from 596 women with an adult child with a chronic disability, the model hypothesizes direct effects of neuroticism on a caregiver's perceptions of the stressor, on her wishful-escapism and problem-focused coping, and on psychological well-being. Results indicate that neuroticism exerts direct and indirect effects on negative well-being. Results also indicate that stressors have direct effects on both wishful-escapism coping and problem-focused coping. Burden had direct effects on negative psychological well-being. Diagnosis influences the model by having direct effects on stressors and wishful-escapism coping but not on problem-focused coping or burden. Inclusion of individual level variables, such as neuroticism, results in a substantial amount of explained variance in negative well-being.
Myers Research Institute, Menorah Park Center for the Aging, Beachwood, Ohio, USA. Jpatric2@wvu.edu
J H
JH
Patrick
J M
JM
Hayden
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D002658:Developmental Disabilities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D012649:Self Concept; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*