Date of Award

Winter 1-28-2022

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Judge, Katherine

Second Advisor

Allard, Eric

Third Advisor

Bisconti, Toni

Subject Headings

Developmental Psychology, Psychology

Abstract

Caregivers of Individuals with Dementia (IWDs) face unique stressors as a result of their role as caregiver. While the negative outcomes associated with providing care for an IWD are well established, including increased levels of burden and increased symptoms of depression and anxiety, the predictors of these well-being outcomes are not. Based on previous research, in the proposed study, predictors include self-compassion, self-esteem, and coping techniques. It is currently unknown how these variables impact outcomes like depression, anxiety, and burden individually or how they fit together into a larger theoretical model of caregiving. This line of research has three main objectives: 1) establish a better understanding of the relationships between self-compassion, self-esteem, and coping and the outcome variables in caregivers of IWDs, 2) establish a better understanding of depression, anxiety, and burden in caregivers of IWDs, and 3) inform both theoretical and intervention development to produce more targeted interventions for caregivers of IWDs. The current study found self-compassion to be a robust predictor of depression, anxiety, and burden such that greater self-compassion was related to better psychosocial outcomes. The younger sample recruited also provided additional insight into differences in the caregiving experience by age and relationship to the IWD.

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