Religious Coping in Caregivers of Family Members With Dementia

Abstract

The degree of depression experienced by caregivers of individuals with dementia was examined in relation to religious coping strategies, religious practice, and spirituality in the framework of the stress and coping model. Caregivers of 191 persons with dementia completed the Religious Coping Scale, self-report measures of religious practices and spirituality, burden, and depression. There was no evidence that any religious coping strategy or religious practice moderated the relationship between caregiving stress and depression. Certain types of religious coping strategies had a direct effect on depression. Higher levels of religious coping working with God were associated with decreased depression, whereas higher levels of religious coping working through God were associated with increased depression. Higher burden, lower overall caregiver health rating, and worse reactions to memory and behavior problems were associated with higher levels of depression. Frequency of prayer and the importance of spirituality were weakly associated with lower levels of depression.

Strength and stress: Positive and negative impacts on caregivers for older adults in Thailand

“…This qualitative study particularly underscores the powerful impact of religious coping methods, which is similar to previous quantitative studies with other religions [28,29]. This study also demonstrates primarily how Buddhism may influence the caregiving experience.…”

The Contribution of a “Supportive Community” Program for Older Persons in Israel to Their Offspring Who Are Primary Caregivers

“…Certain other socioeconomic characteristics of the caregiver have been found to affect the caregiver's burden: gender : most primary caregivers are women because of the traditional female role to take care of older parents, and they reported greater feeling of burden than men [ 29 , 30 ], age : several studies found that advanced age of the primary caregiver was associated with a sense of burden [ 31 ] and other studies found younger primary caregivers reported more burden [ 32 ], education : whereas some studies reported that there is a connection between level of education and burden [ 29 ], others reported there is no such connection [ 33 ], and religiosity : some studies found that religious belief and religious rituals help to moderate the burden of the caregivers [ 34 ]. In contrast, coping strategies related to religiosity were not found to moderate the stress and depression of primary caregivers [ 35 ]. In addition, ethnic and cultural factors have been associated with caregivers' burden [ 28 ].…”

Dementia‐friendly faith village worship services to support African American families: Research protocol

“…In previous studies, researchers have looked at the relevance and positive outcomes related to church and worship attendance in persons living with dementia and caregivers. While the benefits of religiosity in families living with dementia have been well established Hodge, & Sun, 2012;Jing et al, 2016;Katsuno, 2003;Kevern, 2015;MacKinlay & Trevitt, 2010;Plunkett & Chen, 2015;Rathier, Davis, Papandonatos, Grover, & Tremont, 2015;Swinton, 2014)…”

“…In previous studies, researchers have looked at the relevance and positive outcomes related to church and worship attendance in persons living with dementia and caregivers. While the benefits of religiosity in families living with dementia have been well established (Epps et al, ; Hodge, & Sun, ; Jing et al, ; Katsuno, ; Kevern, ; MacKinlay & Trevitt, ; Plunkett & Chen, ; Rathier, Davis, Papandonatos, Grover, & Tremont, ; Swinton, ), no suggestions are given in recent studies for how to design or revise religious services in African American congregations to accommodate families living with dementia. Despite published literature on dementia‐friendly initiatives (Dementia Friendly America®, 2015), faith‐based activities and models are less prominent in the United States in comparison to the United Kingdom.…”