Religious Coping, Positive Aspects of Caregiving, and Social Support Among Alzheimer’s Disease Caregivers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between religious coping, positive aspects of caregiving, social support, burden, and depression in Alzheimer’s caregiving. Using data from the Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer’s Caregiver Health (REACH) II study, results based on structural equation modeling analysis provided some support for the hypothesized path model. Positive religious coping was positively associated with positive aspects of caregiving and social support, which was negatively associated with burden and depression. Positive religious coping was found to have positive effects, yet negative religious coping had no effects on any outcomes. The findings suggest developing and maintaining religiosity plays an important role in enhancing positive aspects of caregiving and social support and thus in decreasing caregiver burden and depression.

KEYWORDS:

• Alzheimer’s disease
• caregiving
• depression
• positive aspects of caregiving
• religious coping
• social support