THE RELATIONSHIP OF SELF-RESTRAINT AND DISTRESS TO COPING AMONG SPOUSES CARING FOR PERSONS WITH ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE

This study investigated the relationship between two basic dimensions of social-emotional adjustment: distress and self-restraint, as identi fied by Weinberger and Schwartz (l990), and the use of four coping str ategies by spouse caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease. Care givers were most frequently categorized as oversocialized (high distre ss, high self-restraint) and repressive (low distress, high self-restr aint) according to Weinberger and Schwartz's (1990) social-emotional a djustment typology. A higher proportion of males than females were und ersocialized (low distress, low self-restraint) and reactive (high dis tress, low self-restraint), whereas a higher proportion of females tha n males were oversocialized (high distress, high self-restraint). High distress caregivers were more likely to use the emotion-focused copin g strategy of wishfulness, whereas low distress caregivers were more l ikely to use acceptance and the problem-focused strategy of instrument al coping. Although there were gender differences in distress and the use of specific coping strategies, the relationships between distress and coping strategies us ed held regardless of gender. Implications fo r caregiver intervention programs as well as directions for future res earch are discussed.