Self-efficacy change among diverse family caregivers in dementia care

Deborah M Oyeyemi, Erich J Greene, Yunshan Xu, David R Lee, Rafael Samper-Ternent, Maya L Lichtenstein, Alan Stevens, Jeff D Williamson, Arun S Karlamangla, Debra Saliba and David B Reuben

The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 2026, vol. 81, issue 2, gbaf233.

Abstract: ObjectivesTo determine whether changes in caregiver self-efficacy (beliefs about one’s ability to manage dementia-related problems and access help) differed by caregiver race and ethnicity across all participants enrolled in a large pragmatic trial of comprehensive dementia care.MethodsIn the Dementia Care Study (D-CARE), community-dwelling older adults with dementia and their unpaid family caregivers were randomized to receive usual care, community-based, or health system-based comprehensive dementia care. Caregiver self-efficacy was assessed at baseline, 6 months, and 18 months using a 4-item scale (range 4–20, higher scores indicate greater self-efficacy). Among all caregivers, we compared least squares means for overall change in self-efficacy from baseline across racial and ethnic groups (Latino, non-Latino Black, and non-Latino White).ResultsAmong 2,126 dementia caregivers, 205 self-identified as Latino, 247 as non-Latino Black, and 1,674 as non-Latino White. Mean baseline caregiver self-efficacy scores were between 13.1 and 13.6 for all racial and ethnic groups. The least squares mean for self-efficacy change was between +1.53 and +1.66 from the baseline for all racial and ethnic groups. Caregiver self-efficacy change did not differ significantly by caregiver race and ethnicity.DiscussionBlack, Latino, and White dementia caregivers reported similar improvements in caregiver self-efficacy after participating in a comprehensive dementia care trial. Personalized aspects of comprehensive dementia care appear to address the needs of diverse caregiver populations.Clinical Trials RegistrationNCT03786471.

Keywords: Care models; Caregiving; Diverse populations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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