Burden Among Male Alzheimer’s Caregivers

Abstract

Focusing on the understudied, increasing population of male Alzheimer's disease (AD) caregivers, the purpose of this study was to identify their likelihood of utilizing 3 coping strategies (task focused, emotion focused, and avoidance focused) and to examine the effects of each coping strategy on caregiving burden. Data were collected from 138 male AD caregivers in southern United States, including geographically proportional representation of African Americans in the sample. Stepwise regression revealed effects of each coping strategy on caregiving burden, controlling for demographics. The sample reported high burden. Task focused was the highest reported coping strategy. Yet, regression models indicated no significant effect of task-focused coping on burden outcomes. Emotion-focused and avoidance-focused coping each showed significant proportional effects on burden. Implications suggest that emotion- and avoidance-focused coping among male AD caregivers may be maladaptive, that is, reinforcing burden. Male AD caregivers may benefit from more task-focused coping, such as planning and active problem solving.

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“…The negative correlation between burden and coping skill found in the current research is consistent with literature (Connell et al, 2001;Geiger et al, 2015;Huang et al, 2013;Papastavrou et al, 2011). Davison & Neale (2004) claimed that caring process includes stressors but caregivers who have high level of coping skills can use this ability on caring responsibilities and therefore experience less burden.…”

“…When the previous research is examined, it can be said that emotion focused coping styles are related with high level of caregiver burden and problem focused coping styles are related with low level of caregiver burden. Research investigating the relationship between self efficacy and caregiver burden indicates that self efficacy has an important role in caregiver burden (Connell, Janevic, & Gallant, 2001;Geiger, Wilks, Lovelace, & Spivey, 2015;Huang et al, 2013;Papastavrou et al, 2011). Some researches have found negative relationship between psychological resilience and burden level in family caregivers (Etters, Goodall, & Harrison, 2008;Shankar, Hirschman, Hanlon, & Naylor, 2014).…”

A mixed method study exploring gender differences in dementia caregiving

“…Health professionals should apply male-friendly interventions adapted to the way males approach the caring role and underpinned by norms of hegemonic masculinity (Addis & Mahalik, 2003; Malcher, 2005; Milligan & Morbey, 2013; Ricciardelli et al, 2012). For example, instead of applying emotion focused conversations (asking male carers about their feelings regarding the caring role), health professionals should consider that male carers are likely to treat the caregiving role as “a job” (Hellstrom et al, 2017, p.962) and therefore, apply task-focused conversations (asking male carers to describe how they are managing their caregiving responsibilities) (Greiger et al, 2015; McDonnell & Ryan, 2013; Robinson et al, 2014). Furthermore, research suggests that male carers may benefit from participating in skill-building psychoeducational group programs for men, advertised as “workshops” and focused on teaching practical strategies for managing specific tasks and/or concerns of the caring role (Lauderdale & Gallagher-Thompson, 2003, p. 65).…”

“…Approximately 67% of people with dementia live in the community, of which 86% live in private dwellings and are being cared for by a spouse (50%) and/or an adult child (41%) (AIHW, 2023). With the projected increase in the number of people with dementia - and because dementia impacts more females than males - we may soon see an increase in male carers of people with dementia (Baker & Robertson, 2008; Geiger et al, 2015; Greenwood & Smith, 2015; Pöysti et al, 2012; Robinson et al, 2014). However, research reviews across the caregiving literature have highlighted that there is a paucity of research on male carers of people with dementia - as a specific cohort – with most research studies adopting a broad brush stroke and reporting on the experience of males who identify as carers “in general” and/or carers of a person with a long-term chronic illness (Baker & Robertson, 2008; Fee et al, 2020; Grigorovich et al, 2016; Houde, 2002; McDonnell & Ryan, 2013, p.238; McDonnell & Ryan, 2014; Robinson et al, 2014).…”

“…It has also been suggested that males approach the caring role as a job, using task-focused strategies to deal with the challenges of the caring role (Black et al, 2009), whereas females adopt emotion-focused coping styles (Calasanti & King, 2007; Geiger et al, 2015; Zarit et al, 1986). Additionally, males have smaller social networks and are more socially isolated than females (Dam et al, 2017; Fee et al, 2021).…”