A new direction for intervention with depressed caregivers to Alzheimer's patients

Data from 573 caregivers of Alzheimer's patients were used to examine the i mpact of caregivers' expectations to provide care on depression. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (Radloff 1977) was regressed on a set of covariates, using George's (1996) multistage conceptual model of the social precursors of mood impairment. Results showed that in addition t o standard covariates of depression, caregivers' expectation to provide car e was significantly related to the caregiver's level of depression.