NEGATIVE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS, DISTRESS, AND DEPRESSION AMONG THOSE CARING FOR A SERIOUSLY AND PERSISTENTLY MENTALLY-ILL RELATIVE

Investigated both positive and negative social interactions and their effect on mental health for 106 individuals caring for a seriously men tally ill family member. Results from mixed-model (hierarchial and ste pwise) multiple regression analyses in which caregiver age, socioecono mic status, caregiving demand, and severity of patient symptoms was co ntrolled showed that negative social interaction accounted for a signi ficant portion of variance in the caregivers' feelings of distress and depression. Moderated multiple regression analyses showed that under conditions of high negative interaction, the relationship between dema nd and distress was intensified. Implications of these findings for th e conceptualization and measurement of negative social interaction as well as its clinical implications were discussed.