Adaptive Coping and Caregiving Self-Efficacy Among Black Family Caregivers of Persons with Dementia

TL;DR

This study explores how Black family caregivers of dementia patients cope and how their coping strategies relate to their ability to manage caregiving challenges.

Contribution

The study identifies specific adaptive coping strategies linked to caregiving self-efficacy among Black caregivers.

Findings

Adaptive coping is positively linked to managing disruptive behaviors and controlling upsetting thoughts in caregivers.

Adaptive coping does not significantly affect mental or physical health outcomes like emotional distress or fatigue.

Planning skills, humor, and experience are key adaptive coping strategies tied to caregiving self-efficacy.

Abstract

Black family caregivers of persons with dementia have an increased risk of poor health, future cognitive impairment, and premature death related to stressors associated with caregiving. Understanding the relationships between adaptive coping, caregiving self-efficacy, and health can facilitate the development of resilience-focused interventions that may improve caregiver health. We surveyed 102 self-identified Black family caregivers of persons with dementia. Survey measures included the coping and adaptation processing scale (CAPS), the revised scale for caregiving self-efficacy, and the PROMIS global health scale. Analysis was completed using regression modeling. Adjusting for age, gender, marital status, employment status, income, education, and presence of chronic disease, we found that adaptive coping was positively associated with caregiver self-efficacy in managing disruptive behaviors (B = 1.57, 95% CI [.96, 2.173], p = 0.000) and controlling upsetting thoughts (B = 1.67, 95% CI [1.13, 2.22], p = 0.000). Adaptive coping was not significantly associated with mental health (i.e., emotional distress, social role satisfaction) (B=.07, 95% CI [-.28, 0.41], p = 0.707), or physical health (i.e., physical function, pain, fatigue) (B=-0.01, 95%CI [-.27, 0.24], p = 0.926). Adaptive coping strategies associated with caregiving self-efficacy and resilience theory included experience, use of planning skills, and humor. Designing caregiver support interventions that facilitate the development of effective planning skills may significantly improve caregiver mental health.