Correlates and predictors of self-reported psychological and physical morbidity in chronic caregiver stress

Wilcock, G.; Lightman, S. L.; Vedhara, K.; Lightman, S. L; Shanks, N.; Wilcock, Gordon

Abstract

An investigation was conducted to explore: (1) whether psychological and physical morbidity share similar psychosocial determinants; (2) the long-term stability of these determinants; and (3) the role of neuroticism in predicting psychological and physical morbidity. Fifty spousal caregivers of dementia patients were recruited into a 12-month study. Participants were followed up at six-monthly intervals during which they completed scales measuring psychosocial mediators, psychological morbidity, physical morbidity and neuroticism. Psychological morbidity was influenced primarily by indices of coping and neuroticism. Physical morbidity was influenced primarily by indices of psychological morbidity (increased psychological morbidity was associated with perceptions of greater physical morbidity). Neuroticism exhibited significant cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships with the indices of psychological morbidity, but only cross-sectional relationships with the indices of physical morbidity.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2001
• Journal: Journal of Health Psychology
• Print ISSN: 1359-1053
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 6
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 101-119
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/135910530100600108
• Keywords: self-reported psychological, physical morbidity, chronic caregiver stress
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1090458
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/135910530100600108