A CAUSAL FUNCTIONAL EXPLANATION OF MAINTAINING A DEPENDENT ELDER IN THE COMMUNITY

A causal functional structure demonstrates how a perpetual process, li ke caregiving, maintains itself. The caregiver functional learning mod el was used to identify factors influencing caregivers when maintainin g dependent elders in the community. These factors include seriousness of illness, power, burden, care quality, self-assurance, an understan ding of the elder's needs, and time spent in caregiving. This five-sta ge theoretical model was tested using a sample of 70 caregivers. Findi ngs supported two of the theoretical relationships: seriousness of ill ness (beta = .60) with burden (R-2 = 0.35), and self-assurance (beta = .36) with time (R-2 = 0.18). Three new relationships were added with the empirical model: power (beta = .48) with burden (R-2 = 0.52), seri ousness of illness (beta = .36) with self-assurance (R-2 = 0.11), and burden (beta = .33) with time (R-2 = 0.24). A causal functional struct ure can be used to explain how the phenomenon of caregiving maintains itself. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.