title: Does becoming an ADL spousal caregiver increase the caregiver's depressive symptoms?
abstract: This study investigated whether transitioning into the role of activities of daily living (ADL) spousal caregiver is associated with increased depressive symptoms for older husbands and wives among a sample of coresiding community-dwelling older couples. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, we estimated a two-level linear model to examine the association between change in caregiver status and respondents' depressive symptoms at follow-up, controlling for other factors identified in Pearlin's stress process model (PSPM). Results indicate that both husbands and wives who become ADL caregivers have more follow-up depressive symptoms than noncaregivers. Furthermore, wives continuing as caregivers have more follow-up depressive symptoms than wives who do not provide care. Finally, the physical health of the spousal caregiver is related to depressive symptoms at follow-up. We conclude with policy and practice implications of these three main findings.
authors: School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA redunkle@umich.edu.
authors: Ruth E
authors: RE
authors: Dunkle
authors: School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors: Sheila
authors: S
authors: Feld
authors: School of Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors: Amanda J
authors: AJ
authors: Lehning
authors: Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
authors: Hyunjee
authors: H
authors: Kim
authors: School of Social Work, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
authors: Huei-Wern
authors: HW
authors: Shen
authors: School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors: Min Hee
authors: MH
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000367:Age Factors; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Pearlin’s stress process model; caregiving; couples