Factors in adult children that influence and motivate care giving for parents with dementia

This systematic review evaluated research on adult children of parents with dementia who were primary carers and the possible psychological predictors of carer burden. Searches were undertaken from January 2004 to October 2008. Research papers using a range of different methodologies were selected. Inclusion criteria incorporated a focus on psychological predictors of carer burden and the relationship between the parent with dementia and adult child carer in the community. Trial quality was assessed and data was extracted following the Cochrane Handbook. Where it was deemed necessary researchers in the field were contacted for additional information.Eighteen studies were included in the review. There was a great deal of quality data in the literature focusing on carers of people with dementia but far less on the parent child relationship during this complex caring dynamic. The eighteen papers clearly illustrated that family history, filial obligations and emotional issues influenced this relationship and these could be overlooked when current stress and burden were focused on by clinicians and researchers. A psycho-educational approach for adult child carers may help alleviate some motivational problems by increasing understanding of the illness. This approach may also aid identification of psychological predictors of carer burden before they reach crisis point. Further high quality research using either qualitative or quantitative methodology is required before this carer population is recognised as having specific service needs separate to that of spouse carers