Relationship of empathy to appraisal, depression, life satisfaction, and physical health in informal caregivers of older adults.
The relationship between empathy and caregiving appraisal and outcomes was examined among 140 informal caregivers of older adults. Caregivers with high cognitive empathy appraised the caregiving situation as less stressful and less threatening, were less depressed, and reported higher life satisfaction than did caregivers with low cognitive empathy. The caregivers' appraisal, along with educational levels and total household income, significantly predicted individual differences in caregiver depression, life satisfaction, and perceived physical health. Emotional empathy was negatively related to life satisfaction. There appeared to be distinct roles for emotional and cognitive empathy in informal caregiving outcomes. The study supported the important role of caregiving appraisal and resources in caregiving outcomes.
Pusan National University, College of Medicine, Department of Nursing, 10 Ami 1 Ga, Suh-Gu, Pusan 602-739, South Korea.
H S
HS
Lee
P F
PF
Brennan
B J
BJ
Daly
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D004522:Educational Status; D004645:Empathy; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006304:Health Status; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires