Table 3.

Associations between perceptions of purpose in life within spousal care dyads and caregivers’ caregiving difficulties

Predictor	Emotional caregiving difficulties				Physical caregiving difficulties
	B	SE	β	ΔR 2	B	SE	β	ΔR 2
Step 1				.18				.15
CG Age	−.01	.01	−.05		−.003	.01	−.02
CG Gender (female)	.56*	.23	.18		.26	.23	.09
CG Educational attainment	.13**	.05	.17		.10	.05	.13
CG Chronic health conditions	.17*	.07	.16		.16	.07	.16
CG Valued activity participation	.02	.10	.01		−.06	.09	−.05
CG ADL/IADL assistance	.01	.04	.01		.06	.05	.09
CG Medical care activities	.09**	.03	.18		.10***	.03	.21
CG Informal support	−.12	.16	−.04		.15	.18	.05
CG Paid help	.16	.26	.04		.06	.24	.02
CR Dementia status	.37	.31	.06		.04	.29	.01
CR Chronic health conditions	.13*	.05	.12		.08	.06	.08
Step 2				.05				.03
CG Purpose in life	−.52***	.14	−.20		−.39*	.17	−.16
CR Purpose in life	−.29	.25	−.09		−.28	.28	−.09
Step 3				.02				.004
CG Purpose in life × CG Gender	−.78**	.28	−.22		−.25	.29	−.08
CR Purpose in life × CG Gender	.48	.51	.10		.39	.47	.09
Step 4				.03				.004
CG Purpose in life × CR Purpose in life	.80**	.29	.18		.31	.33	.07
Step 5				.03				.004
CG Purpose in life × CR Purpose in life × CG Gender	−1.30	.58	−.24		.16	.73	.03
Total R2	.28				.20

Parameters are presented at each step of the model. Interaction terms in Step 3 were not included in Step 4. Step 5 included all possible two-way interaction terms within the three-way interaction.

N = 315 spousal care dyads.

CG caregiver; CR care recipient; ADL/IADL activities of daily living/instrumental activities of daily living.

*p ≤ .025. **p ≤ .01. ***p ≤ .001.