title: Factors associated with feelings of reward during ongoing family palliative caregiving.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Of the few studies that have paid attention to feelings of reward in family palliative caregiving, most are retrospective and examine the experiences of bereaved family caregivers. Although feeling rewarded has been described as an influence that may facilitate the way family caregivers handle the caregiving situation, no study has sought to identify the factors associated with feelings of reward while providing ongoing family palliative care. The aim of this study, therefore, was to identify influential factors in feelings of reward experienced by family palliative caregivers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our study had a correlational cross-sectional design. Family caregivers (n = 125) of patients receiving specialized palliative care were consecutively recruited from four settings. These caregivers answered a questionnaire that included the Rewards of Caregiving Scale (RCS). This questionnaire included questions about demographic background and scales to measure preparedness for caregiving, feelings of hope, perceived health, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with rewards.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results demonstrated that the more prepared caregivers with higher levels of hope felt more rewarded, while caregivers with higher levels of anxiety and those in a spousal relationship with the patient felt less rewarded by caregiving.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It seems reasonable that feeling rewarded can be a significant contributor to the overall experience of providing ongoing palliative care. The situation of family caregivers has been shown to be multifaceted and complex, and such covariant factors as preparedness, anxiety, hope, and being in a spousal relationship with the patient to influence this experience.
authors.affiliation: Palliative Research Centre,Ersta Sköndal University College and Ersta Hospital,Stockholm,Sweden.
authors.forename: Anette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Henriksson
authors.affiliation: Palliative Research Centre,Ersta Sköndal University College and Ersta Hospital,Stockholm,Sweden.
authors.forename: Ida
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Carlander
authors.affiliation: Palliative Research Centre,Ersta Sköndal University College and Ersta Hospital,Stockholm,Sweden.
authors.forename: Kristofer
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Årestedt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004644:Emotions; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000523:psychology*; D012201:Reward; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Association; Caregiving; Family caregivers; Palliative care; Rewards