CAREGIVER BURDEN AS A MEDIATOR OF INTERPERSONAL FACTORS AND POTENTIALLY HARMFUL BEHAVIOURS

Abstract

The long-standing interactions between caregiver and care recipient (CR) influences their experience of providing and receiving care; this relationship is founded on interpersonal factors, such as the premorbid relationship quality between the dyad, and the family system surrounding the dyad. Poor interpersonal factors that exist within the caregiving relationship are known to be a risk factor for poorer caregiver and CR outcomes, including increased risk of potentially harmful behaviours (PHB). The present study aims to explore the influence of (i) premorbid relationship quality, (ii) family functioning, (iii) caregiver burden, and (iv) perceived social support (PSS) on the risk of PHB amongst caregivers of older adults diagnosed with neurological complications. 76 informal caregivers completed a series of self-report questionnaires administered using an online platform. A simple mediation analysis and a moderated-mediation analysis was conducted using PROCESS macro (Hayes, 2013). Most participants were daughters (72.4%) who were married, received tertiary education, and employed at the time of completing the questionnaires. Statistical analysis found the relationship between premorbid relationships quality and family functioning to significantly increase the likelihood of PHB, and both these relationships were significantly mediated by caregiver burden. The moderated mediation model with perceived social support as a moderator was found to be not significant. Findings can guide future psychological interventions that target caregivers’ attitudes towards the premorbid relationship, and family-based interventions that promote cohesiveness and positive coping.