title: Linking family dynamics and the mental health of Colombian dementia caregivers.
abstract: This cross-sectional, quantitative, self-report study examined the relationship between family dynamics (cohesion, flexibility, pathology/ functioning, communication, family satisfaction, and empathy) and mental health (depression, burden, stress, and satisfaction with life [SWL]) in 90 dementia caregivers from Colombia. Hierarchical multiple regressions controlling for caregiver demographics found that family dynamics were significantly associated with caregiver depression, stress, and SWL and marginally associated with burden. Within these regressions, empathy was uniquely associated with stress; flexibility with depression and marginally with SWL; and family communication marginally with burden and stress. Nearly all family dynamic variables were bivariately associated with caregiver mental health variables, such that caregivers had stronger mental health when their family dynamics were healthy. Family-systems interventions in global regions with high levels of familism like that in the current study may improve family empathy, flexibility, and communication, thereby producing better caregiver mental health and better informal care for people with dementia.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sutter
authors.forename: Paul B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Perrin
authors.forename: Yu-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Guillermo Ramirez
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Hoyos
authors.forename: Jaqueline Arabia
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Buraye
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Arango-Lasprilla
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003105:Colombia; D003142:Communication; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D004645:Empathy; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Latin America; caregiving; dementia; family dynamics; mental health