title: Psychosocial Characteristics of Adult Daughters of Breast Cancer Patients: Comparison of Clinic and Community Caregivers Samples.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The long-term psychosocial impact of adult daughters caring for their mothers with breast cancer has been recognized but understudied. The objectives of this study were to characterize the psychosocial functioning of women who served as informal caregivers during their mothers. treatment for breast cancer in two distinct samples, community and high risk clinic, and to determine differences in psychosocial functioning between the two samples.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a cross-sectional design, a sample of mostly married, Caucasian and college educated women (N = 59) were administered a battery of questionnaires assessing socio-demographic and psychosocial factors (i.e. coping, caregiving tasks and difficulty, social support, spirituality, mental distress, depressive symptoms).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using descriptive analysis, chi-square and T tests, results demonstrated significant differences between the two samples in time since caregiving, with the community sample reporting few years since the caregiving episode (e.g. 2.1 versus 15.1 years); coping strategies, with the clinic sample reporting higher scores on active coping, behavioral disengagement, planning, and self-blame; support type care tasks difficulty, with the clinic sample reporting higher scores on emotional support and tangible support, and all domains of spirituality (e.g. peace, meaning, faith), with higher levels being reported by the community sample. Although participants did not exhibit clinically significant levels of emotional distress, almost 25% of the community sample and 10% of the clinic sample had clinically significant depressive symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings underscore the need for interventions tailored for caregivers to consider the unique psychosocial characteristics of caregivers across settings.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA , Los Angeles CA , USA ; and Department of Psychology, Alliant International University , Los Angeles , CA , USA.|b Department of Psychology , Alliant International University , Los Angeles , CA , USA.
authors.forename: Lekeisha A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Sumner
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA , Los Angeles CA , USA ; and Department of Psychology, Alliant International University , Los Angeles , CA , USA.
authors.forename: David K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Wellisch
authors.affiliation: c Department of Psychology, University of Miami , FL , USA.
authors.forename: Youngmee
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: d Behavioral Research Center, American Cancer Society , Atlanta , GA , USA.
authors.forename: Rachel L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Spillers
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D032721:Adult Children / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology
keywords: breast cancer, caregiving, psychosocial, daughters, quality of life