| Learning Objective #1: Apply the conceptual model of "Caregiver Spirituality, Stress, Appraisal, and Health" to effect positive health outcomes | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Utilize caregiver spirituality to reduce stress and depression while enhancing life satisfaction, social support satisfaction and health |
Objective: Chronic stress is well documented for caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Research supports that spirituality neutralizes the effect of uncontrollable stress. Lazarus and Folkman’s (1984) Stress, Appraisal, and Coping theory was the theoretical basis for this study. The purpose was to test a model of "Caregiver Spirituality, Stress, Appraisal, and Health" for caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease.
Design: A cross-sectional, descriptive-comparative two-group design was used.
Population, Sample, Setting: A convenient sample of 130 Black(n = 66) and White(n= 64) caregivers with no significant differences in age and gender were recruited from the Southeastern U.S.
Concepts: Six major constructs comprise the model: spirituality, perceived stress, life satisfaction, satisfaction with social support, depression and health. These were measured with the: Spiritual Perspective Scale; Perceived Stress Scale; Index of Well-Being; Global Satisfaction Scale; Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale; and a single item five-point health scale.
Methods: Hypothesis: perceived stress, life satisfaction, and satisfaction with social support mediate the effects of causal antecedents (race, education, and spirituality) on depression and health. These theoretical linkages of the model were tested using path analysis.
Findings: Spirituality had an inverse direct causal relationship (p<0.01) to depression, and a positive causal relationship through the mediator of stress (p<0.001) to health. Additionally, spirituality had a direct causal relationship to life satisfaction (p<0.001) and social support satisfaction (p<0.001). Education had direct relationships to life satisfaction(p<0.05) and health (p<0.01), and race had direct relationships to depression (p <0.05) and health(p <0.05).
Conclusions: The conceptual model was supported. Spirituality emerged as most significant, directly effecting stress, life satisfaction, social support satisfaction, and depression; and indirectly, through reduction of stress, effecting positive health.
Implications: Caregiver’s spirituality used as a resource helps to reduce stress and depression while enhancing life satisfaction, social support satisfaction, and health.
Back to Caring for the Elderly
Back to 14th International Nursing Research Congress
Sigma Theta Tau International
10-12 July 2003