Role of social support in predicting caregiver burden
Open accessAbstract
Objective To examine the unique contribution of social support to burden in caregivers of adults aging with spinal cord injury (SCI).Design Secondary analyses of cross-sectional data from a large cohort of adults aging with SCI and their primary caregivers.Setting Multiple community locations.Participants Caregivers of community-dwelling adults aging with SCI (n=173) were interviewed as part of a multisite randomized controlled trial. The mean age ± SD of caregivers was 53±15 years and of care-recipients, 55±13 years.Interventions Not applicable.Main outcome measures The primary outcome was caregiver burden measured with the Abridged Version of the Zarit Burden Interview. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis examined the effects of social supports (social integration, received social support, and negative social interactions) on burden in caregivers of adults aging with SCI while controlling for demographic characteristics and caregiving characteristics.Results After controlling for demographic characteristics and caregiving characteristics, social integration (β=-.16, P<.05), received social support (β=-.15, P<.05), and negative social interactions (β=.21, P<.01) were significant independent predictors of caregiver burden.Conclusions Findings demonstrate that social support is an important factor associated with burden in caregivers of adults aging with SCI. Social support should be considered for assessments and interventions designed to identify and reduce caregiver burden.
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A decrease in social support for caregivers corresponds to a heightened risk of social isolation.
“A decrease in social support for caregivers corresponds to a heightened risk of social isolation (48).”
From Caring alone: older adult care burdens, practices, and structural imbalances among China's one-child generation (2025) · cites this paper as [48]
The Abstract’s Conclusions state that caregivers of people aging with spinal cord injury may experience increased social isolation and that increased isolation comes with decreased social support. This supports an association, but the claim extends it to caregivers generally and frames lower support as a risk for isolation; the paper does not establish that direction of risk. (LLM, conf=0.82)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredCaregivers of older adults with chronic severe illnesses, such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease, often face insufficient social support during the caregiving process, which increases their risk of social isolation.
“Empirical studies have shown that caregivers of older adults with chronic severe illnesses, such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease, often face insufficient social support during the caregiving process, which increases their risk of social isolation (47, 48).”
From Caring alone: older adult care burdens, practices, and structural imbalances among China's one-child generation (2025) · cites this paper as [48]
The Abstract’s Conclusions say caregivers of adults aging with spinal cord injury may experience increased social isolation and decreased social support. The Participants section identifies that population, not caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. The source also describes isolation as preceding decreased support, rather than insufficient support increasing isolation. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredCaregivers who receive greater social support report lower levels of burden.
“The role of social support in alleviating caregiver burden is widely recognized, and caregivers who receive greater social support report lower levels of burden (48, 50).”
From Caring alone: older adult care burdens, practices, and structural imbalances among China's one-child generation (2025) · cites this paper as [48]
Social support is a key predictor of caregiver burden.
“Social support, defined as the emotional and material assistance provided by society to individuals, is a key predictor of caregiver burden (47–49).”
From Caring alone: older adult care burdens, practices, and structural imbalances among China's one-child generation (2025) · cites this paper as [48]
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“Empirical studies have shown that caregivers of older adults with chronic severe illnesses, such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease, often face insufficient social support during the caregiving process, which increases their risk of social isolation (47, 48).”
Influential
- Authors
- Rodakowski, J., Skidmore, E. R., Rogers, J. C., & Schulz, R.
- Affiliations
- University of Pittsburgh (US)
- Corresponding author
- Rodakowski, Juleen
- Venue
- Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2012-12
- Volume
- 93
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 2229-2236
- ISSN
- 0003-9993 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC3508254
- OpenAlex
- W2089918343
- Cited by
- 174
- References
- 52
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 3
- FWCI
- 14.19
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- europepmc.org
- Locations
- Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Nursing Research (R01NR008272)
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (T32HD049307, K12HD055931)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Nursing care and research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Spinal Cord Injury Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Family and Disability Support Research
- Keywords
- caregiver burden, social support, spinal cord injury, aging with disability, social integration, received social support, negative social interactions, Zarit Burden Interview, primary caregivers
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Aged, Aging, Cross-Sectional Studies, Disability Evaluation, Female, Health Status, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Social Support, Socioeconomic Factors, Spinal Cord Injuries, Trauma Severity Indices, Caregivers
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