The relationship between caregiving self-efficacy and depressive symptoms in dementia family caregivers.
The present study was intended to replicate the findings of Steffen et al. (2002) of a negative relationship between caregiving self-efficacy and depressive symptoms among family dementia caregivers. Female family caregivers (N=74) of community-dwelling individuals diagnosed with dementia completed a telephone interview and self-report assessment packet that included measures of caregiving self-efficacy and depressive symptoms. There was a direct negative relationship between caregiving self-efficacy and depressive symptoms after controlling for objective stressors. There was no support, however, for the hypothesis that caregiving self-efficacy would operate as a moderator, such that the relationship between objective stressors (cognitive impairment and behavior problems) and caregivers' depressive symptoms would be strongest for caregivers reporting lower levels of self-efficacy. The results of this study suggest that caregiving self-efficacy has a strong, direct relationship with depressed symptoms for dementia family caregivers. Longitudinal research is needed to determine if it is an appropriate focus of future intervention research.
Gilliam
C M
CM
Department of Psychology, University of Missouri, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. cmggc@umsl.edu
Steffen
A M
AM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003704:Dementia; D003863:Depression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015146:Midwestern United States; D020377:Self Efficacy