The Mediational Role of Burden and Perceived Stress in Subjective Memory Complaints in Informal Cancer Caregivers

Marta Ramos-Campos, Rosa Redolat and Patricia Mesa-Gresa
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Marta Ramos-Campos: Junta asociada provincial de Valencia de la Asociación Española contra el Cáncer, 46010 Valencia, Spain
Rosa Redolat: Psychobiology Department, Universitat de València, 46010 Valencia, Spain
Patricia Mesa-Gresa: Psychobiology Department, Universitat de València, 46010 Valencia, Spain

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 7, 1-15

Abstract: The role of informal caregiver of cancer patients is considered a situation of chronic stress that could have impact on cognitive functioning. Our aim was to evaluate differences in perceived stress, subjective memory complaints, self-esteem, and resilience between caregivers and non-caregivers, as well as the possible mediational role of burden in caregivers. The sample was composed of 60 participants divided into two groups: (1) Primary informal caregivers of a relative with cancer (CCG) ( n = 34); and (2) non-caregiver control subjects (Non-CG) ( n = 26). All participants were evaluated through a battery of tests: Socio-demographic questionnaire, subjective memory complaints questionnaire (MFE-30), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, resilience (CD-RISC-10), and perceived stress scale (PSS). The CCG group also completed the Zarit burden interview. Results indicated that CCG displayed higher scores than Non-CG in MFE-30 ( p = 0.000) and PSS ( p = 0.005). In the CCG group, Pearson correlations indicated that PSS showed a negative relationship with resilience ( p = 0.000) and self-esteem ( p = 0.002) and positive correlation with caregiver’s burden ( p = 0.015). In conclusion, CCG displayed higher number of subjective memory complaints and higher perceived stress than Non-CG, whereas no significant differences were obtained on self-esteem and resilience. These results could aid in designing new intervention strategies aimed to diminish stress, burden, or cognitive effects in informal caregivers of cancer patients.

Keywords: cancer caregivers; burden; memory complaints; perceived stress; resilience; self-esteem (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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