The purpose of this study is to examine the effects, over time, of depressive and agitation symptoms in persons with AD on depression in their caregivers, while controlling for patient cognitive and ADL status Further, this study proposes that patient depression and agitation lead to caregiver depression through the mediating effect of caregivers perceptions of their caregiving experience. Specifically, it is proposed that these patient symptoms increase caregiver negative perceptions (e.g., overload), decrease positive perceptions (e.g., uplifts), and, thereby, lead to caregiver depression. Therefore, this study will add to understanding of the effect of AD patient depression and agitation on both caregiver perceptions and caregiver depression, thereby guiding interventions toward critical patient symptoms and caregiver management of their own reactions to them. The sample will consist of approximately (180 family caregivers living with persons with AD), who are enrolled in an Alzheimer Disease Research Center (ADRC). (Data will be collected at seven time points over two years.) The ADRC will provide patient data from three consecutive annual assessments (including patient symptoms from the CERAD Behavior Rating Scale for Dementia). (The ADRC also will provide annual caregiver data obtained from self- administered questionnaires. Additionally, caregivers will be contacted four times between annual assessments: by telephone to obtain data on patient symptoms and by mailed questionnaires to obtain data on caregivers' perceptions of caregiving and depressive symptoms. A model of the relationships between patient depressive and agitation symptoms, caregivers' perceptions, and caregivers' depression will be evaluated.
| Neundorfer, M M; McClendon, M J; Smyth, K A et al. (2006) Does depression prior to caregiving increase vulnerability to depressive symptoms among caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease? Aging Ment Health 10:606-15 |
| Neundorfer, M M; McClendon, M J; Smyth, K A et al. (2001) A longitudinal study of the relationship between levels of depression among persons with Alzheimer's disease and levels of depression among their family caregivers. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 56:P301-13 |
