[[alternative]]Stress, Social support, and Depressive mood in a group of middle-aged caregivers: An exploration of moderating effect

[[abstract]]人口老化增加快速，這也導致失能人口急遽增加，而需要長期照護協助。主要依賴人口（失能長者）由家庭照顧者協助，尤其以中高齡女兒為主。低出生率使得家庭照顧者供應不足更加緊張，而照顧者所需負擔更加沉重。先前研究關於次要照顧者提供主要照顧者支持作用的相關研究較稀少。本研究之目的有兩個：一、瞭解照顧者的壓力源、社會支持與憂鬱情緒的情形。二、探討社會支持在緩衝壓力源對中高齡照顧者憂鬱情緒負向衝擊的作用。本研究採用次級資料分析，資料取自2020年科技部委託研究計畫之「中高齡家庭主要照顧者資訊通訊使用情形調查」之資料庫。本研究分析納入485名家庭照顧者，本研究採用IBM SPSS 23.0 for windows統計套裝軟體用於資料處理與分析，統計方法使用同步迴歸分析來檢視次要照顧者的支持在緩衝照顧者壓力源對主要照顧者憂鬱情緒的負面效果作用。多元迴歸分析結果顯示家庭次要照顧者每週協助照顧者總時數不存在調節作用，而向主要照顧者提供協助的照顧者人數存在調節作用。簡單斜率分析發現調節作用的性質逆轉，與本研究原本假設相反，家庭次要照顧者的協助反而加劇主要照顧者的憂鬱情緒。在臨床上，有充分證據顯示長期照顧責任總是落在家庭主要照顧者的身上，無意中排除其他可介入協助的家庭成員，任何干預對主要照顧者都是困擾的。本研究結果的意涵已獲得驗證，包含為孤立的主要照顧者提供所需的支持。[[abstract]]The population in Taiwan is aging rapidly. This has led to a drastic growth in the disabled population, needing long-term care. The majority of dependent elders were cared by their family members, primarily middle-age daughters. Low birth rate has strained the supply of family caregivers, making family caregiving ever more burdensome. A review of literature on family care showed that researches on the role of secondary caregivers in providing support for the primary caregivers were rather scarce. This study aimed at filling this gap.The objectives of this study are two-fold, one to examine the status of caregiving supports by secondary caregivers for their primary counterparts, the other to explore the role of secondary helps in moderating negative impacts of caregiving stressors upon depressive moods.This research pertained to a secondary analysis. Data were from Social Support and the use of IT in a group of middle aged family caregivers caring for dependent elderly members, funded by Ministry of Science and Technology. A total of 485 family caregivers were included in this analysis. IBM SPSS 23.0 was used for statistical analyses. Simultaneous multiple regression methods were employed to examine the role of supports from secondary caregivers in moderating negative impacts of caregiver stressors on depressive moods in the primary caregivers.The results from multiple regression analyses showed that moderating effects of the number of hours of help provided by secondary caregivers did not exist, while the number of secondary caregivers providing assistance to the primary caregivers did. Single slope analyses found the nature of moderating effects has reversed, opposite to original hypothesis. The help from secondary caregivers worked to exacerbate the depressive moods in the primary caregivers. Clinically, it has been well documented that family caregiving has always fallen upon the shoulders of a primary family member, excluding inadvertently the rest of family members available for step in to help. Any intervention by family members has proved cumbersome to the former. The implication of the findings from this study has been made, including to provide needed supports for the rather isolated primary caregivers