Distress and Causal Attributions Associated with Caring for Family Members with Senile Dementia

A sample of 22 persons who care for relatives exhibiting initial symptoms of senile dementia were administered paper-and- pencil questionnaires to determine their level of subjective burden and psychological symptomatology. Each participant's attributional style was measured on an internal-external dimension, and their causal attributions regarding their relative's symptomatic behaviors were assessed. Results indicated that attributional style did not predict specific attributions about illness-related behaviors, but the tendency to not blame an afflicted relative for their behavior was predictive of subjective burden and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Subjective burden was found to predict feelings of hostility in caregivers.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc501261
Date08 1900
CreatorsHenschel, Peter W. (Peter William)
ContributorsGuarnaccia, Charles Anthony, Burke, Angela J., Sewell, Kenneth W.
PublisherUniversity of North Texas
Source SetsUniversity of North Texas
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis or Dissertation
Formativ, 86 leaves, Text
RightsPublic, Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved., Henschel, Peter W. (Peter William)

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