Well-being, appraisal, and coping in Latina and Caucasian female dementia caregivers: findings from the REACH study

• Published in: Aging & mental health Vol. 8; no. 4; pp. 330 - 345
• Main Authors: Coon, D. W., Rubert, M., Solano, N., Mausbach, B., Kraemer, H., Arguëlles, T., Haley, W. E., Thompson, L.W., Gallagher-Thompson, D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis Group 01.07.2004
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Attitude; Caregivers - psychology; Culture; Dementia - therapy; European Continental Ancestry Group - psychology; Female; Hispanic Americans - psychology; Humans; Personal Satisfaction; Quality of Life; Religion and Psychology
• ISSN: 1360-7863; 1364-6915
• DOI: 10.1080/13607860410001709683

While there has been considerable interest in studying ethnically diverse family caregivers, few studies have investigated the influence of dementia caregiving on Latino families. The current study includes participants from two sites of the REACH (Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregiver Health) project to compare well-being, appraisal, and religiosity by ethnicity, with specific attention to levels of acculturation. Latina (n = 191) and Caucasian female (n = 229) dementia family caregivers from two regions of the United States (Miami, Florida and Northern California) were compared at baseline on demographics, care recipient characteristics, mental and physical health, and psychosocial resources, including appraisal style and religiosity. Latina caregivers reported lower appraisals of stress, greater perceived benefits of caregiving, and greater use of religious coping than Caucasian caregivers. The relationship of these variables to level of acculturation for the Latina caregivers was also explored. Implications of these results for psychosocial interventions with Latino and Caucasian family caregivers are discussed.