title: Self-transcendent views and behaviors. Exploring growth in caregivers of adults with dementia.
abstract: Literature suggests difficult life experiences such as fear, loss, and grief can provide an impetus for moving from self-centeredness toward a broader personal identity and self-transcendence. Caring for a family member with dementia may provide the context for such a movement; thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate self-transcendent views and behaviors in family caregivers of adults with dementia. A naturalistic field study design was used to collect data from individuals caring for family members with dementia. Findings showed little evidence of self-transcendent views and behaviors and little opportunity for caregivers to engage in activities that might facilitate self-transcendence. Conclusions of the study reveal social isolation, ambivalence, burden of care, and emotional fragility may inhibit the development of self-transcendence and interfere with healthy growth and development in family caregivers.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing, 1700 Red River, Austin, TX 78701, USA.
authors.forename: Gayle J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Acton
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006803:Human Development; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011582:Psychological Theory; D014481:United States