The impact of family environment and decision-making satisfaction on caregiver depression: A path analytic model

Objectives: This research examines caregiver depression in the context of t raditional care-related primary stressors, such as the caregiving context a nd care-recipient impairment, and secondary stressors, such as family envir onment and decision-making satisfaction. Methods: The authors examine a cau sal (path) model of depression among 244 caregivers. Ordinary least squares regression results are used to determine the direct and indirect effects o f stressors on caregiver depression. Results: The path coefficients obtaine d show that adaptability and conflict have the most powerful net effects. W ith the caregiving context variables, they explain approximately 30% of the variance in decision-making satisfaction. Family adaptability and decision -making satisfaction also have significant paths. The caregiving context, n etwork, family environment, and decision-making variables explain approxima tely 25% of the variance in caregiver depression. Discussion: These finding s suggest that practitioners working with caregivers to ameliorate depressi on need to examine the broader aspects of family environment and caregiver perceptions related to decision making.