Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Patients With Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

This study was conducted to obtain data regarding the association of caregiver burden (CB) and neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPSs) in patients with Alzheimer's disease. We conducted a series of multiple linear regressions to determine the relationship between CB and NPSs and whether the caregiver coping strategies mediated this relationship. The NPSs were assessed using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, and caregivers were evaluated with the Caregiver Burden Interview and the Inventory and the Coping Strategies Inventory. Results show that patients with more frequent and severe NPS were more likely to be cared for by more burdened caregivers, and this was partially mediated by caregiver coping strategies. More disengagement (β = .330,P< .001) and less engagement coping (β = -.347,P< .001) were predictors for NPS after adjusting for patient and caregiver characteristics. These results may be useful with a view to designing treatment interventions that aim to modify the use of caregiver coping strategies and to reduce NPSs.

The Effect of a Personalized Dementia Care Intervention for Caregivers From Australian Minority Groups

“…This intervention protocol encouraged caregivers to confront problems and develop an engagement coping style that contributed to problem solving and reduced the negative impact of these problems on caregiver’s health and well-being. 28,29 Studies report that a disengagement coping style in dementia caregivers contributes to prolong stressors and has a negative impact on caregivers’ mental health such as depression. 28,30 The Caregiver Diary can give cues to care staff to identify unmet caregiver needs of caregivers, assist in providing better solutions, facilitate help-seeking behaviors, and interactions with care staff.…”

Burden Among Male Alzheimer’s Caregivers

“…Engagement coping refers to strategies that involve confronting stressors, while disengagement strategies involve avoiding stressors. 7 Although some evidence supporting the use of the engagement and disengagement model of coping among dementia caregivers exists (see refs [9][10][11] ), 3 factor models similar to the one proposed by Endler and Parker 4 have also been utilized in recent research and meta-analyses of coping among dementia caregivers. [12][13][14][15] The comparison of differing coping theories was beyond the scope of the current study; therefore, this study used the 3-factor model proposed by Endler and Parker.…”

The influence of the individual neuropsychiatric symptoms of people with Alzheimer disease on family caregiver distress—A longitudinal ALSOVA study

“…6 Neuropsychiatric symptoms are shown to associate with and predict FC burden. [7][8][9] García-Alberca et al 10 conclude that CR with more frequent and severe NPS was more likely to be cared for by more burdened FCs, which was partially mediated by FC coping strategies. Neuropsychiatric symptoms are also among the most stressful symptoms of dementia and account for between 30% and 49% of the variation in measurements of burden.…”