Tacit definitions of informal caregiving

Aims of the study: This study describes three tacit definitions of informal caregiving and explores the extent to which differences in these tacit def initions explain variation in caregivers' negative mood over time. Background/Rationale: There is a growing need to understand the sources of stress and gratification for informal caregivers. Tacit definitions of info rmal caregiving refer to caregivers' understanding of what caregiving entai ls. These definitions are tacit because they arise from caregivers' taken-f or-grant-ed understanding rather than formally articulated positions concer ning caregiving. Design/Methods: A random sample of 60 men, all of whom were caregiving part ners of men with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), was drawn from a larger cohort of 253 participants in the University of California San Fra ncisco (UCSF) Coping Project (1990-1997). The caregivers were assessed bimo nthly for 2 years with procedures that included 3 semi-structured interview focusing on a recent stressful event involving caregiving, and quantitativ e measures of well-being. Results/Findings: Interpretive phenomenological case studies of the narrati ve accounts of the 60 caregivers produced three tacit definitions of caregi ving - engagement, conflict and distance. These three tacit definitions wer e distinguished by differences in learning about caregiving, involvement in health care decisions, caregiving activities and reported sources of stres s. The three groups differed on measures of dyadic adjustment, depression, anger and anxiety. Conclusions: Better understanding of caregivers' tacit definitions can faci litate and enhance effective support and interventions for caregivers.