title: Gratitude and coping among familial caregivers of persons with dementia.
abstract: Gratitude is widely perceived as a key factor to psychological well-being by different cultures and religions. The relationship between gratitude and coping in the context of familial dementia caregiving has yet to be investigated.
  
  
  
  This study is the first to examine the associations among gratitude, coping strategies, psychological resources and psychological distress using a structural equation modelling approach.
  
  
  
  Findings with 101 Chinese familial caregivers of persons with dementia (mean age = 57.6, range = 40-76; 82% women) showed that gratitude was related to the greater use of emotion-focused coping (positive reframing, acceptance, humour, emotional social support seeking, religious coping) and psychological resources (caregiving competence and social support). Psychological resources and emotion-focused coping in turn explained the association between gratitude and lower levels of psychological distress (caregiving burden and depressive symptoms).
  
  
  
  The present results indicate the beneficial role of gratitude on coping with caregiving distress and provide empirical foundation for incorporating gratitude in future psychological interventions for caregivers.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Social Work and Social Administration , University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Bobo Hi-Po
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: b Department of Psychology , University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002681:China; D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Gratitude; caregiving; coping; dementia