# Relationship between caregiver burden and family resilience among Chinese caregivers of people with dementia: the mediating role of mutuality

## TL;DR

This study explores how the relationship between caregivers and people with dementia affects caregiver burden and family resilience in China.

## Contribution

The study identifies mutuality as a key mediator between caregiver burden and family resilience in dementia caregiving.

## Key findings

- Caregiver burden was negatively linked to mutuality and family resilience.
- Mutuality and its dimensions were positively correlated with family resilience.
- Mutuality mediated 39.0% of the relationship between caregiver burden and family resilience.

## Abstract

Caregiving for people with dementia imposes significant psychological and physical burdens on family caregivers, which may affect overall family functioning. This study aimed to examine whether mutuality statistically mediates the relationship between caregiver burden and family resilience among Chinese dementia caregivers.

This cross-sectional research was conducted from October 2022 to December 2023 across two tertiary hospitals in Henan Province, China. A total of 296 family caregivers of people with dementia participated in the study. Caregivers completed the Chinese versions of the Zarit Burden Interview, the Mutuality Scale, and the Family Resilience Assessment Scale. Pearson correlations were used to examine associations between caregiver burden, mutuality, and family resilience. Structural equation modeling was performed in AMOS 24.0 to assess the mediating role of mutuality.

Caregiver burden was negatively associated with mutuality (p <.01) and family resilience (p <.01). Mutuality (total score) and its four dimensions demonstrated positive correlations with family resilience (p <.01). Furthermore, mutuality significantly mediated the relationship between caregiver burden and family resilience (p <.01), with a mediating effect of 39.0%.

This study suggests that mutuality may be an important relational process associated with both caregiver burden and family resilience in dementia caregiving. Public health interventions may benefit from strengthening the caregiver-care recipient relationship to reduce psychological burden and enhance family resilience. Community-based programs and caregiver support initiatives that foster mutual understanding and positive interactions may be particularly effective in promoting the health and well-being of both caregivers and patients.