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American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias logoLink to American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias
. 2011 Jun;26(4):310–316. doi: 10.1177/1533317511410557

Understanding Caregiver Health Behaviors: Depressive Symptoms Mediate Caregiver Self-Efficacy and Health Behavior Patterns

Yaron G Rabinowitz 1, Ericka C Saenz 2, Larry W Thompson 3, Dolores Gallagher-Thompson 4
PMCID: PMC10845362  PMID: 21636582

Abstract

Previous research on female caregivers of elderly relatives with dementia has demonstrated that caregiving self-efficacy (SE) is associated with reduced cumulative health risk. The overarching aim of the current study was to expand on that research by exploring whether depressive symptoms mediate the relationship between 3 domains of caregiving SE and cumulative health risk associated with health behavior patterns. Data from 256 female family caregivers of patients with dementia are presented. Path analysis revealed a significant mediated effect for depressive symptoms as both SE for obtaining respite and SE for controlling upsetting Thoughts had a significant, indirect effect on cumulative health risk. There were no direct effects between caregiver SE and cumulative health risk. The current study sheds light on the complex pathway between caregiver SE and health and speaks to the importance of skills-based interventions designed to enhance efficacy beliefs and minimize depression in dementia caregivers.

Keywords: caregiving, caregiving self-efficacy, health behaviors, health risk, caregiver depression

Full Text

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Contributor Information

Yaron G. Rabinowitz, Department of Psychology, Texas A & M University, Corpus Christi, TX, USA, rubes0509@gmail.com .

Ericka C. Saenz, Department of Psychology, Texas A & M University, Corpus Christi, TX, USA.

Larry W. Thompson, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.

Dolores Gallagher-Thompson, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.

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