Sense of competence in a Dutch sample of informal caregivers of frontotemporal dementia patients.
OBJECTIVE
The sense of competence (SC) of informal caregivers of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) patients is important for their task but has rarely been assessed. Here, the relationship between caregiver burden and SC and the differential value of SC in understanding caregiver suffering were studied.


METHODS
At 24 months of follow-up patient behavioural problems, dementia severity, caregiver SC, burden, psychological complaints and quality of life were inspected cross-sectionally in 46 caregiver/care recipient dyads.


RESULTS
SC was unrelated to dementia severity and patient behavioural problems. Principal component analysis of SC revealed 3 dimensions: 'emotions', 'attributions' and 'sacrifice'. Sacrificing one's personal life to caregiving was associated with more psychological complaints and a worse physical and mental quality of life, as found in structural equation modelling.


CONCLUSIONS
Caregiver suffering comprised an unbalance between self-care and caring for the FTD patient. FTD caregivers may benefit from psycho-education on self-care and methods to create time for their personal needs.
Riedijk
Samantha
S
Department of Medical Psychology and Psychotherapy, NIHES, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. s.riedijk@erasmusmc.nl
Duivenvoorden
Hugo
H
Van Swieten
John
J
Niermeijer
Martinus
M
Tibben
Aad
A
D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology; D004493:Education; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D011788:Quality of Life; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires