Self-Compassion, Coping Strategies, and Caregiver Burden in Caregivers of People with Dementia
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OBJECTIVE: Caring for someone with dementia can have negative consequences for caregivers, a phenomenon known as caregiver burden. Coping strategies influence the impact of caregiving-related stress. Specifically, using emotion-focused strategies has been associated with lower levels of burden, whereas dysfunctional strategies have been related to increased burden. The concept of self-compassion has been linked to both positive outcomes and the coping strategies that are most advantageous to caregivers. However, as yet, no research has studied self-compassion in caregivers. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the relationship between self-compassion, coping strategies and caregiver burden in dementia caregivers. METHOD: Cross-sectional survey data was collected from 73 informal caregivers of people with dementia recruited from post-diagnostic support services and caregiver support groups. RESULTS: Self-compassion was found to be negatively related to caregiver burden and dysfunctional coping strategies and positively related to emotion-focused coping strategies. Dysfunctional strategies mediated the relationship between self-compassion and caregiver burden, whereas emotion-focused strategies did not. CONCLUSION: Caregivers with higher levels of self-compassion report lower levels of burden and this is at least partly due to the use of less dysfunctional coping strategies. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Interventions that develop self-compassion could represent a useful intervention for struggling caregivers.
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Problem-focused coping strategies, social-emotional support coping strategies, and acceptance are significantly associated with a lower level of burden, anxiety, and depressive symptoms among dementia caregivers.
“It is well established that problem-focused coping strategies, social-emotional support coping strategies, and acceptance are significantly associated with a lower level of burden, anxiety, and depressive symptoms among dementia caregivers [59,60,61,62].”
From Relationship of Psychological Flexibility and Mindfulness to Caregiver Burden, and Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms in Caregivers of People with Dementia (2023) · cites this paper as [61]
The Coping strategies section reports that emotion-focused coping, including acceptance, has been linked to lower depression and anxiety, and that longitudinal research suggests it buffers anxiety and burden. It does not establish the claimed associations for problem-focused coping or social-emotional support specifically. The Discussion also says emotion-focused coping was not related to burden in this study. (LLM, conf=0.86)
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- Authors
- Lloyd, J., Muers, J., Patterson, T. G., & Marczak, M.
- Affiliations
- Coventry University (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Lloyd, Joanna
- ORCID
- Patterson, Tom G
- Venue
- Clinical Gerontologist
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2018-05-03
- Volume
- 42
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 47-59
- ISSN
- 0731-7115 (ISSN-L)
- 1545-2301
- OpenAlex
- W2802449859
- Cited by
- 140
- References
- 60
- Citations by year
- 2026: 18 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 27 · 2023: 24 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 11
- FWCI
- 19.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- Licence
- other-oa
- Locations
- Clinical Gerontologist (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Pure (Coventry University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Nursing care and research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Keywords
- self-compassion, coping strategies, caregiver burden, dementia caregivers, emotion-focused coping, dysfunctional coping, informal caregivers, mediation, caregiver stress
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Cross-Sectional Studies, Dementia, Dependency, Psychological, Emotions, Empathy, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Caregivers
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