Social support and well-being in dementia family caregivers: The mediating role of self-efficacy

Objectives: The study investigated self-efficacy as a possible mediator of the relationship between the social support and depressive symptoms of primarily informal caregivers, mainly family members, of patients with dementia in Hong Kong.

Method: One hundred and thirty-four caregivers were interviewed. Path analyses were conducted using a self-efficacy scale that consists of three subscales assessing three domains of caregiving self-efficacy. Self-efficacy for obtaining respite, responding to disruptive patient behaviours, and controlling upsetting thoughts about caregiving were measured.

Results: Results showed that self-efficacy acted as a partial mediator between social support and depressive symptoms of these caregivers.

Conclusion: Findings suggest that self-efficacy may function as a mechanism through which social support influences depressive symptoms, and the importance of this self-efficacy mechanism can be domain-specific. Copyright © 2009 Taylor & Francis.