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Work Experience and Emotional State in Caregivers of Elderly Relatives

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 July 2019

María Crespo ,
Ana Isabel Guillén  and
Ana Teresa Piccini
María Crespo*
Affiliation:
Universidad Complutense (Spain)
Ana Isabel Guillén
Affiliation:
Universidad Complutense (Spain)
Ana Teresa Piccini
Affiliation:
Universidad Complutense (Spain)
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to María Crespo. Universidad Complutense. Departamento de Personalidad, Evaluación y Piscología Clínica. Campus de Somosaguas, S/N. 28223 Madrid (Spain). E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

This study aims to investigate the influence of work experience variables on the emotional state of worker-caregivers based on stress process model. The emotional state (depression, negative and positive affect and worry-strain), caregiver and care recipient features, caregiving stressors and appraisal, and role strains/work-related variables were assessed in 83 worker-caregivers of elderly dependent relatives. Hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses were performed for each of the four emotional outcome variables. Caregiving overload and positive job experience were the best predictors of depression and positive affect. The predictors of negative affect were reaction to memory and behavior problems, overload and role captivity. The predictors of worry and strain were daily hours of caregiving worries, reaction to memory and behavior problems, overload, role captivity and job-caregiving conflicts. The explained variances for the four models were 58.8%, 40.2%, 62.9% and 78.8%, respectively; the role strain contributions were 8.2%, 13.2%, 7.2% and 6%. The results indicate that the effect of perceived job experiences on caregivers’ emotional status is more relevant than objective job conflicts. In addition, caregivers’ emotional state is primarily related to the subjective indicators of caregiving stressors, with a lower contribution of work-related variables.

Keywords

caregivingcaregiving-job conflictstress process model
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 22 , 2019 , E34
Copyright
Copyright © Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid 2019 

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Footnotes

The authors would like to kindly thank the following Alzheimer’s Associations in Spain for their help and support with this study: the State Reference Care Centre for Alzheimer`s Disease and other Dementias - IMSERSO (Salamanca); the Alzheimer Association of Zamora; AFALcontigo; Los Girasoles; Leñeros; Pamplona; Fray Luis de León; Carmen Laforet and the Canal de Panamá Day-Care Centers (Madrid City Council).

How to cite this article:

Crespo, M., Guillén, A. I., & Piccini, A. T. (2019). Work experience and emotional state in caregivers of elderly relatives. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 22. e34. Doi:10.1017/sjp.2019.34

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