title: Relationships among Communication Self-Efficacy, Communication Burden, and the Mental Health of the Families of Persons with Aphasia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to elucidate the relationships among communication self-efficacy (SE), communication burden, and the mental health of the families of persons with aphasia using structural equation modeling (SEM).
  
  
  METHODS
  This study examined 110 pairs of persons with aphasia receiving home care and 1 family caregiver per person with aphasia. The survey items for this study consisted of the Communication Self-efficacy Scale, the Communication Burden Scale, the Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form-Japanese, and the Health-Related Quality of Life: SF-8 Health Survey. The relationships between the constructive concept of "communication self-efficacy" and "communication burden," and "mental-health status" were analyzed using SEM.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of the SEM analysis revealed that a high communication SE of the families was associated with low burden of communication and good mental-health status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychoeducational programs that address the communication SE of family caregivers may have the potential to reduce the burden of communication and to improve the mental health of caregivers. These programs could lead to an enhanced quality of life for both persons with aphasia and their families.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, Aichi Gakuin University, Japan. Electronic address: ta23164@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tatsumi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Shutaro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakaaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Mie University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Satoh
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, Aichi Gakuin University, Japan.
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Aichi Gakuin University, Japan.
authors.forename: Naohito
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chino
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Welfare, Bukkyo University, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hadano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001037:Aphasia / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003142:Communication; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Aphasia; communication burden; communication self-efficacy; family caregiver; mental health