PERSONAL ORIENTATION AS A PREDICTOR OF CAREGIVER STRAIN

Building on the Stress-Process model, developed by Pearlin and colleag ues (1990), we examined how Personal Orientation affects the relations hip between Primary Care-Related stressors and Primary Appraisal stres sors for caregivers. What is unique to this study is the addition of p re-existing Personal Orientation variables, and the development of a m ultidimensional construct of Primary Appraisal stressors, or the careg iver's evaluation of caregiving. Drawing from a longitudinal study,. 2 45 primary caregivers of relatives with dementia were interviewed. The measurement model included three measures of Primary Care-Related str essors. ADL impairment, memory problems and behavior problems. Two dim ensions of Primary Appraisal: (1) Time and Energy Strain and (2) Emoti onal Strain, were created and served as criterion variables. Two aspec ts of Personal Orientation: (1) Competence and (2) Commitment in the c aregiving relationship, were also included. Multivariate regression an alyses revealed different predictors for each Appraisal stressor. Time and Energy Strain was associated with Commitment, Competence, and ADL s, whereas Emotional Strain was related to Commitment, Competence, and Behavior Problems. Care-Related stressors and Personal Orientation si multaneously contributed to the perception of caregiver strain. These findings suggest that Personal Orientation in caregiving may be an imp ortant contextual factor when examining the relationship between Care- Related stressors and caregiver Appraisals of strain.