Pp. Vitaliano et al., RESEARCH ON PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL CONCOMITANTS OF CAREGIVING - WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE, Annals of behavioral medicine, 19(2), 1997, pp. 117-123
This article discusses the current state of research on the physiologi
cal and physical concomitants of caregiving. We offer recommendations
about theoretical, empirical, and treatment issues that researchers sh
ould consider in future investigations. Important theoretical issues i
nclude specifying acute and chronic stress in caregiving research. Emp
irical issues include sample selection, home versus clinic assessments
, the use of experimental probes, moderating and mediating variables,
and measurement issues (problems with self-report of health, medical r
ecords, physical exams, and lab assessments). Finally, we note that in
vestigators should use this newfound knowledge to target interventions
to specific subsets of vulnerable caregivers. In this way, basic rese
arch into caregiving, as a model of chronic human stress, can provide
more focused approaches to benefit both caregivers and patients.