title: Religious Involvement and Adaptation in Female Family Caregivers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship between religious involvement (RI) and adaptation of women caring for family members with severe physical or neurological disability.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two-site cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community.
  
  
  METHODS
  A convenience sample of 251 caregivers was recruited. RI and caregiver adaptation (assessed by perceived stress, caregiver burden, and depressive symptoms) were measured using standard scales, along with caregiver characteristics, social support, and health behaviors. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify relationships and mediating and moderating factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Religious involvement (RI) was associated with better caregiver adaptation independent of age, race, education, caregiver health, care recipient's health, social support, and health behaviors (B = -0.09, standard error = 0.04, t = -2.08, P = .04). This association was strongest in caregivers aged 58-75 and spouses and for perceived stress in blacks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Religious involvement (RI) in female caregivers is associated with better caregiver adaptation, especially for those who are older, spouses of the care recipients, and blacks. These results are relevant to the development of future interventions that provide support to family caregivers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.|Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.|Center for Aging and Human Development, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.|Department of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.|School of Public Health, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Harold G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Koenig
authors.affiliation: Department of Research, Glendale Adventist Medical Center, Glendale, California.
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: Department of Research, Glendale Adventist Medical Center, Glendale, California.
authors.forename: Sally F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.affiliation: Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Salil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saxena
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.|Center for Aging and Human Development, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Harvey Jay
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012944:Social Support; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological
keywords: burden; caregiver; depression; perceived stress; religion; religiosity; social support