Title | Caregiving from the recipient's perspective: negative reactions to being helped. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 1998 |
Authors | Newsom, JT, Schulz, R |
Journal | Health Psychol |
Volume | 17 |
Issue | 2 |
Pagination | 172-81 |
Date Published | 1998 Mar |
ISSN | 0278-6133 |
Keywords | Activities of Daily Living, Aged, Caregivers, Chronic Disease, Depression, Disabled Persons, Factor Analysis, Statistical, Female, Helping Behavior, Humans, Internal-External Control, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Regression Analysis, Self Concept, Spouses, United States |
Abstract | <p>This study investigated predictors of negative reactions to assistance provided to a physically disabled spouse (n = 276, M age: 76.6 years) and the consequences that negative reactions may have for the mental health of the care recipient. Nearly 40% of recipients reported some emotional distress in response to help they received. Fatalistic attitudes, perceived control, and lower self-esteem predicted greater helping distress, whereas lower self-esteem, fatalistic beliefs, and marital conflict were especially likely to lead to helping distress for those who received higher levels of assistance. Helping distress was also found to predict depression as much as 1 year later, suggesting that there may be long-term consequences of negative reactions to assistance. These findings have important implications for the study of caregiving and the relationship between physical impairment and depression.</p> |
Alternate Journal | Health Psychol |
PubMed ID | 9548708 |
Grant List | MH46015 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States MH52247 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States N01-HC85079 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States |