title: Social problem-solving abilities, relationship satisfaction and depression among family caregivers of stroke survivors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the prospective relation of caregiver problem-solving abilities and relationship satisfaction to caregiver depression 1 month following care recipient discharge from an inpatient stroke rehabilitation facility.
  
  
  METHODS
  Correlational, prospective design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants included 39 women (average age = 51.47, SD = 20.59) and four men (average age = 42.50, SD = 5.57) assuming caregiver roles for persons discharged from stroke rehabilitation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Beck Depression Inventory was the outcome measure at discharge and 1 month later.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Caregivers experienced a significant decrease in depression scores between the discharge and 1-month assessments. Lower relationship satisfaction and dysfunctional problem-solving abilities were independently and significantly predictive of depression scores at discharge. Dysfunctional problem-solving abilities were indirectly predictive of depression 1 month later.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dysfunctional problem-solving abilities and low relationship satisfaction are associated with caregiver depression, but dysfunctional problem-solving abilities maintain an indirect association with depression over 1 month. Implications of these findings for developing problem-solving training programmes for caregivers post-discharge are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Capital H Group, 3155 West Big Beaver Road, Troy, MI 48084, USA. kalpana.shanmugham@capitalhgroup.com
authors.forename: Kalpana
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shanmugham
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cano
authors.forename: Timothy R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020521:Stroke / Q000523:psychology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation