Date of Graduation
2004
Document Type
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
Intensive and extensive caregiving of older adults disabled by dementia is frequently provided by the older adult's spouse. Caregiving for a spouse with dementia has been related to a number of poor physical and mental health outcomes for the primary caregiver. Anxiety is one outcome that is endorsed frequently by the caregiver, yet remains minimally studied in relation to caregiving. In addition, no study has identified factors that potentially moderate the relation between caregiving stressors and anxiety in older adults. This study explored the relations among caregiving stressors, burden, religiosity, spirituality, and anxiety in older adult caregivers. Several models were tested that incorporated religiosity and spirituality as potential moderators of the caregiver stressor-burden-anxiety relation. Burden experienced by the caregiver was also tested as a potential mediator of the relation between caregiving stressors and anxiety. Findings supported a model in which burden mediated the relation between care-recipient memory and behavior problems and caregiver anxiety. A model in which religious service attendance moderated the relation between care-recipient memory and behavior problems and caregiver anxiety was also supported. Implications of these findings and future directions for research are discussed.
Recommended Citation
Shreve-Neiger, Andrea K., "Religiosity and spirituality in spousal caregivers of older adults with dementia: Testing anxiety moderator and mediator models." (2004). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 9765.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/9765