Caregiving Self-Efficacy in Family Caregivers of People with Dementia: The Role of Knowledge of Dementia and Perceived Social Support

Purpose: To examine the role of perceived social support and knowledge of dementia in family caregivers of people with dementia (PwD) regarding caregiving self-efficacy. Design: Descriptive, cross-sectional, and predictive design was used. Methods: The study was conducted with caregivers of PwD (n:102) between March and May 2022. Data was collected using the following forms: a socio-demographic characteristics form, the revised scale for caregiving self-efficacy (RSCSE), the dementia knowledge assessment scale (DKAS) and the revised form of the multidimensional scale of perceived social support (RFMSPSS). Data was assessed through descriptive statistics and multivariate regression analysis. Findings: The participants’ RSCSE, DKAS and RFMSPSS mean scores were 1125.89 ± 417.18 (range:0–1800), 15.70 ± 6.06 (range:0–34), and 52.72 ± 20.07 (range:12–74), respectively. Analysis indicated that DKAS and RFMSPSS predicted positive caregiving self-efficacy scores but it was not statistically significant for DKAS (R2:0.209, F:13.077, p < 0.001). These variables accounted for 21% of total variance of caregiving self-efficacy. RFMSPSS predicted positively and statistically significantly (β:0.461, p < 0.001) the total score of the self-efficacy scale. Conclusions: The perceived social support of caregivers of PwD is an important predictor of the self-efficacy level of caregivers. Clinical Evidence: In order to enhance improving the quality of the caregiving process, caregivers should be strengthened, and caregiving self-efficacy should be comprehensively evaluated to enable assistance to the caregiver. The social support of caregivers is an important predictor of caregiving self-efficacy. Therefore, social support should be taken into consideration when engaging in appropriate initiatives