Table 1.
Family Caregiver Characteristics (n = 128)
| Age, mean (SD) | 62.0 (13.2) |
| Gender, n (%) | |
| Women | 85 (66.4) |
| Men | 43 (33.6) |
| Relation to patient, n (%) | |
| Spouse | 58 (45.3) |
| Adult child | 44 (34.4) |
| Other | 26 (20.3) |
| Social status, n (%) | |
| Married/partner | 90 (70.3) |
| Unmarried | 38 (29.7) |
| Education level, n (%) | |
| Academic degree | 56 (43.8) |
| Nonacademic degree | 72 (56.2) |
| Occupation, n (%) | |
| Working | 61 (47.7) |
| Retired | 57 (44.5) |
| Other | 10 (7.8) |
| Continuous study variables, mean (SD) | |
| Postdeath griefa | 36.6 (11.8) |
| Predeath grief—Behavioral reactionsb | 19.4 (5.9) |
| Predeath grief—Emotional reactionsc | 14.6 (5.0) |
| Moderator variables | |
| Preparedness for caregiving, mean (SD)d | 17.3 (6.9) |
| Dichotomized scores, n (%) | |
| Low preparedness (0–18) | 72 (56.3) |
| High preparedness (19–32) | 56 (43.8) |
| Caregiver burden—general strain, mean (SD)e | 2.3 (0.7) |
| Dichotomized scores, n (%) | |
| Low caregiver burden (1.0–2.4) | 73 (57.0) |
| High caregiver burden (2.5–4.0) | 55 (43.0) |
| Social support, mean (SD)f | 64.8 (15.8) |
| Dichotomized scores, n (%) | |
| Low social support (12–68) | 67 (52.3) |
| High social support (69–84) | 61 (47.7) |
a
Texas Revised Inventory of Grief, possible score range 13–65, measured postdeath, not at baseline.
b
Anticipatory Grief Scale—Behavioral reactions, possible score range 8–40.
c
Anticipatory Grief Scale—Emotional reactions, possible score range 5–25.
d
Preparedness for Caregiving Scale, possible score range 0–32.
e
Caregiver Burden Scale—general strain, possible score range 1–4.
f
Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, possible score range 12–84.
SD, standard deviation.