1. Examining the Influence of Three Types of Social Support on the Mental Health of Mexican Caregivers of Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury
- Author
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Shaina L. Gulin, Miriam Jiménez-Maldonado, Juan Carlos Arango-Lasprilla, Paul B. Perrin, Lillian Flores Stevens, Teresita Villaseñor Cabrera, and Heather L. Rogers
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,Traumatic brain injury ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation ,Personal Satisfaction ,Anxiety ,Social support ,Cost of Illness ,Surveys and Questionnaires ,Perception ,medicine ,Humans ,Mexico ,Depression (differential diagnoses) ,media_common ,Depression ,Family caregivers ,Rehabilitation ,Social Support ,Middle Aged ,medicine.disease ,Mental health ,Self Concept ,Cross-Sectional Studies ,Mental Health ,Caregivers ,Socioeconomic Factors ,Brain Injuries ,Female ,medicine.symptom ,Psychology ,Rehabilitation interventions ,Clinical psychology - Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine the influence of three types of social support (appraisal, belonging, and tangible) on caregiver mental health (anxiety, burden, depression, and satisfaction with life) among Mexican caregivers of individuals with traumatic brain injury. DESIGN This is a cross-sectional study of 90 family caregivers from Hospital Civil Fray Antonio Alcade in Guadalajara, Mexico. RESULTS More months spent caregiving was associated with decreases in all three types of social support. Older age and fewer years of education were associated with lower appraisal social support. More hours per week spent caregiving was associated with lower caregiver state anxiety and greater satisfaction with life. Appraisal, belonging, and tangible social support were all significantly correlated with more salubrious caregiver mental health outcomes, except satisfaction with life. Appraisal social support independently predicted lower caregiver depression. CONCLUSIONS Particularly in Latin America, strong social support networks and family connections seem closely tied to key mental health outcomes such as depression. Rehabilitation interventions aimed at strengthening perceptions of social support of caregivers of individuals with traumatic brain injury that specifically target availability of advice may improve mental health and contribute to more optimal informal care for individuals with traumatic brain injury.
- Published
- 2013
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