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The relationship between caregiving self-efficacy and depressive symptoms in family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer disease: a longitudinal study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 February 2017

Caterina Grano ,
Fabio Lucidi  and
Cristiano Violani
Caterina Grano*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi, 78, 00185, Rome, Italy
Fabio Lucidi
Affiliation:
Department of Social and Developmental, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi, 78, 00185, Rome, Italy
Cristiano Violani
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi, 78, 00185, Rome, Italy
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Caterina Grano, Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi, 78, 00185 Rome, Italy. Phone: +39 06 4991 7632; Fax: +39 06 4991 7711. Email: caterina.grano@uniroma1.it.
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Abstract

Background:

Caregiving for a relative with dementia has been associated with negative consequences for mental health. Self-efficacy has been shown to correlate negatively with depression but the long-term association between caregiver burden, caregiver self-efficacy, and depressive symptoms, remains still largely unexplored. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether different self-efficacy domains partially mediated the relationship between caregiving burden and depression.

Methods:

A three-wave design was used, with initial assessment and follow-ups three months later and one year later. One hundred seventy caregivers of patients with AD responded to measures of caregiver burden, caregiving self-efficacy, and depressive symptoms. Data were analyzed by means of structural equation models.

Results:

The tested model provided support for the guiding hypothesis. Burden at the time of the first assessment (T1) significantly influenced depression one year later and the relationship between burden at time one and depressive symptoms one year later was partially mediated by self-efficacy for controlling upsetting thoughts.

Conclusions:

The findings of the present study provide evidence that, along a considerable length of time, the effects of caregiver burden on depressive symptoms can be explained by the caregivers’ efficacy beliefs in controlling upsetting thoughts related to the caregiving tasks. Interventions for caregivers of patients with AD may help them in tackling negative thoughts about the caregiving role.

Keywords

caregiving self-efficacycaregiver burdendepressiondementia
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 29 , Issue 7 , July 2017 , pp. 1095 - 1103
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2017 

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