TY - JOUR
T1 - Perceived Gratitude, Role Overload, and Mental Health Among Spousal Caregivers of Older Adults
AU - Nah, Suyoung
AU - Martire, Lynn M.
AU - Zhaoyang, Ruixue
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved.
PY - 2022/2/1
Y1 - 2022/2/1
N2 - Objectives: We investigated whether spousal caregivers' greater perception of being appreciated by their partner for their help was associated with caregivers' better mental health and whether caregivers' higher role overload was related to their poorer mental health. We further evaluated whether spousal caregivers' greater perceived gratitude buffered the association between their role overload and mental health. Methods: We examined 306 spousal caregivers of older adults with chronic illness or disability, drawn from the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study and National Study of Caregiving. We defined mental health as better psychological well-being and less psychological distress (i.e., fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms). Hierarchical regression models were estimated to test hypotheses. Results: Greater perceived gratitude was associated with better psychological well-being, and higher role overload was related to poorer psychological well-being and greater psychological distress. In addition, greater perceived gratitude buffered the associations between role overload and anxiety symptoms as well as psychological well-being. Discussion: Findings suggest that spousal caregivers' role overload may be a strong risk factor for their poorer mental health, especially when caregivers feel less appreciated by their partner. Couple-oriented interventions to improve spousal caregivers' mental health could be aimed at reducing their role overload and enhancing perceived gratitude.
AB - Objectives: We investigated whether spousal caregivers' greater perception of being appreciated by their partner for their help was associated with caregivers' better mental health and whether caregivers' higher role overload was related to their poorer mental health. We further evaluated whether spousal caregivers' greater perceived gratitude buffered the association between their role overload and mental health. Methods: We examined 306 spousal caregivers of older adults with chronic illness or disability, drawn from the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study and National Study of Caregiving. We defined mental health as better psychological well-being and less psychological distress (i.e., fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms). Hierarchical regression models were estimated to test hypotheses. Results: Greater perceived gratitude was associated with better psychological well-being, and higher role overload was related to poorer psychological well-being and greater psychological distress. In addition, greater perceived gratitude buffered the associations between role overload and anxiety symptoms as well as psychological well-being. Discussion: Findings suggest that spousal caregivers' role overload may be a strong risk factor for their poorer mental health, especially when caregivers feel less appreciated by their partner. Couple-oriented interventions to improve spousal caregivers' mental health could be aimed at reducing their role overload and enhancing perceived gratitude.
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U2 - 10.1093/geronb/gbab086
DO - 10.1093/geronb/gbab086
M3 - Article
C2 - 33979437
AN - SCOPUS:85120635021
SN - 1079-5014
VL - 77
SP - 295
EP - 299
JO - Journals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
JF - Journals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
IS - 2
ER -