Class
Article
College
Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services
Faculty Mentor
Yin Liu
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Abstract
This study examined how financial strain and employment impact subjective stress over 12 months in 184 family caregivers of individuals with dementia. Subjective stressors of role overload, role captivity, and employment status were measured at baseline, 6-, and 12-months. Self reports on financial insufficiency were measured at baseline only. Growth curve analyses were conducted to examine within-person changes in subjective stress of caregiving and associations with employment and financial strains. The findings showed that caregivers with greater financial strain at baseline had higher levels of overload and increasing captivity longitudinally. Although caregivers who were consistently unemployed reported lower role overload, they also had steeper increase over time than those who consistently worked. To conclude, while a caregiver’s perception of financial strain does add to the long-term stress of the role, his or her employment outside the home may have complex associations with feelings of stress over time.
Location
The South Atrium
Start Date
4-12-2018 3:00 PM
End Date
4-12-2018 4:15 PM
Financial Strain, Employment, and Subjective Stressors Over Time Among Caregivers of Individuals with Dementia
The South Atrium
This study examined how financial strain and employment impact subjective stress over 12 months in 184 family caregivers of individuals with dementia. Subjective stressors of role overload, role captivity, and employment status were measured at baseline, 6-, and 12-months. Self reports on financial insufficiency were measured at baseline only. Growth curve analyses were conducted to examine within-person changes in subjective stress of caregiving and associations with employment and financial strains. The findings showed that caregivers with greater financial strain at baseline had higher levels of overload and increasing captivity longitudinally. Although caregivers who were consistently unemployed reported lower role overload, they also had steeper increase over time than those who consistently worked. To conclude, while a caregiver’s perception of financial strain does add to the long-term stress of the role, his or her employment outside the home may have complex associations with feelings of stress over time.