title: Who Is Caring for the Caregiver? The Role of Cybercoping for Dementia Caregivers.
abstract: The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between dementia caregivers' communication behaviors (information seeking and forwarding) and their outcomes (coping outcomes: e.g., dealing better with negative feelings or improved medical outcomes). A survey data set of dementia patients' caregivers substantiates the effects of communication behaviors about dementia illness on coping outcomes, as well as the mediating role of emotion-focused and problem-focused coping processes. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), this study found positive effects of communication behaviors on outcomes through coping processes. Further, the results indicate that communication behaviors in cyberspace are crucial for caregivers to cope with dementia, both affectively (improvement of caregivers' emotional control) and physically (health improvement of patients). The implications for the improvement of public health through online health communication behaviors are discussed.
authors.affiliation: a Center for Health Communication Studies , Hallym University.
authors.forename: Jae-Seon
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: b J. William and Mary Diederich College of Communication , Marquette University.
authors.forename: Young
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: c Manship School of Mass Communication , Louisiana State University.
authors.forename: Myoung-Gi
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Chon
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003142:Communication; D003704:Dementia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011634:Public Health; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires