The impact of caregiver burden on sense of coherence in Chinese family caregivers of people with dementia: the mediating effect of family resilience

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The caregiver burden frequently experienced by family members tending to people with dementia significantly impacts their psychological well-being and family quality of life. Thus, the objective of this study is to examine the link between caregiver burden and sense of coherence (SOC) among Chinese caregivers of people with dementia, as well as to explore the mediating effect of family resilience on this relationship. METHODS: This cross-sectional research took place from November 2023 to June 2024 across two public tertiary hospitals and a community setting in Hangzhou Province, China. In total, 326 family caregivers who cared for members with dementia were recruited. Data were collected using the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), the Family Resilience Rating Scale (FRAS), and the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC- 13). The relationships between caregiver burden, family resilience, and sense of coherence (SOC) were analyzed using Pearson correlation techniques. Furthermore, the mediating effect of family resilience on the relationship between caregiver burden and SOC was assessed utilizing Amos 27.0. RESULTS: In this study, the total scores of caregiver burden, family resilience, and SOC were 45.64 ± 17.04, 175.30 ± 34.38, and 52.29 ± 15.91 among family caregivers of people with dementia. Caregiver burden, family resilience, and SOC of family caregivers were at a moderate to high level. Caregiver burden was negatively correlated with family resilience and SOC (p < 0.05). The mediating effect of family resilience on the relationship between caregiver burden and SOC was found to be significant (p < 0.05), accounting for 45.9%. CONCLUSIONS: In this research, caregiver burden and family resilience emerged as critical factors influencing SOC. Additionally, the family resilience served as an important mediator in the connection between caregiver burden and SOC. Healthcare professionals should pay attention to the family dynamics of people with dementia and adopt intervention programs that focus on reducing caregiver burden and improving family resilience to improve the SOC of family caregivers of people with dementia.