title: The effect of coping on the burden in family carers of persons with dementia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study explores the association between coping, measured by the extent of locus of control, and the burden of care on family carers of persons with dementia (PWD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred thirty PWD living at home and their family carers were recruited from 20 Norwegian municipalities. The carers' burden was assessed by the Relatives' Stress Scale (RSS) and coping by the Locus of Control Behaviour Scale. The PWD were assessed by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI-Q), the Physical Self-Maintenance Scale (PSMS), the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scale, and the Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Locus of control (LoC) was found to be the most important factor associated with the burden on carers of PWD, even when we had controlled for the PWD variables, such as the NPI-Q score. The LoC and the carer's use of hours per day to assist the PWD were the only two variables the carers found that affected the extent of the burden. The NPI-Q was the most important variable in the PWD that affected the burden on the carers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Carers who believe that what happens to them is the consequence of their own actions are likely to be less burdened than carers not expecting to have control. This finding gives a possibility to identify carers with a high risk of burden.
authors.affiliation: a Norwegian Centre for Dementia Research , Oslo , Norway.
authors.forename: Frøydis Kristine
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Bruvik
authors.forename: Ingun Dina
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Ulstein
authors.forename: Anette Hylen
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Ranhoff
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Engedal
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors