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Social problem-solving abilities and distress among family members assuming a caregiving role
- Authors:
- ELLIOTT Timothy R., SHEWCHUK Richard M.
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Health Psychology, 8(2), May 2003, pp.149-163.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Reports on American research to examine the relation of social problem-solving abilities to distress experienced by carers of family members who had recently incurred a severe physical disability. Carers (11 men and 49 women) completed measures of problem-solving, depression and health, while the family member participated in an inpatient rehabilitation programme. Correlational analyses indicated that a negative problem orientation was significantly predictive of caregiver distress, regardless of the degree of physical impairment of the care recipient. Women reported more distress on several measures than men, and disability severity was also associated with depression and impaired social functioning. Carers with a greater negative orientation may be at risk to develop psychological and health problems upon assuming a caregiver role. Discusses the results in light of theoretical models of social problem-solving, and implications are presented for psychological interventions and for health policy concerning family caregivers and their care recipients.