title: Social support mediates the association between benefit finding and quality of life in caregivers.
abstract: The psychosocial pathways underlying associations between benefit finding and quality of life are poorly understood. Here, we examined associations between benefit finding, social support, optimism and quality of life in a sample of 84 caregivers. Results revealed that quality of life was predicted by benefit finding, optimism and social support. Moreover, the association between benefit finding and quality of life was explained by social support, but not optimism; caregivers who reported greater benefit finding perceived their social support be higher and this, in turn, had a positive effect on their overall quality of life. These results underscore the importance of harnessing benefit finding to enhance caregiver quality of life.
authors.affiliation: University of Limerick, Ireland.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.affiliation: University of Limerick, Ireland.
authors.forename: Lorna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barry
authors.affiliation: University of Limerick, Ireland stephen.gallagher@ul.ie.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gallagher
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006296:Health Services; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: benefit finding; caregiver; optimism; quality of life; social support