Influence of positive aspects of dementia caregiving on caregivers' well-being: a systematic review

Abstract

Background and Objectives: There is a growing evidence base that informal caregivers can identify positive aspects of providing care and that this may have a beneficial influence on their well-being. The aim of this systematic review was to explore how positive aspects of caregiving (PAC) affects the well-being of caregivers of people with dementia. Research Design and Methods: We searched electronic databases for quantitative studies exploring the association between PAC and caregiver well-being. Studies were included if they involved informal (unpaid) caregivers of people with dementia, at least 75% of whom had to be residing in the community. A narrative synthesis was used to explore patterns within the data. Results: Fifty-three studies were included in the narrative synthesis. Most studies utilized a cross-sectional design. The majority of samples consisted primarily of spouses and female caregivers. Twenty different PAC measures were employed and studies referred to a variety of constructs, such as satisfactions, gains, meaning, and rewards. PAC was associated with lower depressive symptoms and burden. Conversely, PAC was associated with better mental health, quality of life, satisfaction with life, and competence/self-efficacy. PAC was not associated with self-rated health or personal strain/stress. Discussion and Implications: The findings suggest that identifying PAC is associated with better caregiver well-being, although further longitudinal studies are required to explore how this relationship changes over time. Interventions that enable caregivers to gain a more positive experience of caregiving could be beneficial for their well-being.