Clinical Psychology Commons^™

Assessing The Quality Of Life In Spousal Caregivers Of Kidney Dialysis Patients, Mallory Christman

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Caregivers are considered extended parts of the healthcare system. As the responsibilities of caregivers increase, they are more prone to develop a poorer quality of life (QOL; Avsar et al., 2013; Rafati et al., 2019; Sajadi et al., 2020; Turner & Finch-Guthrie, 2020). Further, as the prevalence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) continues to increase, factors that impact coping and QOL should be evaluated.

Understanding the relationship between coping, social problem solving, and QOL may increase professionals’ ability to help caregivers flourish. However, little is known about the QOL in spousal caregivers of kidney dialysis patients in the United States. …

Pediatric Health Care Providers’ Perceptions And Knowledge Of Caregiving Youth, Brianna Bliss

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Many young people younger than the age of 18 years are involved in providing care to family members who are unable to manage their own medical, physical, or mental illnesses. Youth caregivers are an understudied population in the United States. The small yet growing research base has illustrated the relationship between the caregiving role, academic performance, and an individual’s social and psychological well-being. Medical settings are uniquely positioned to identify caregiving youth and provide supportive resources. A survey was created and administered to pediatric health care providers who offered medical and psychosocial support to children and adolescents. Providers were recruited …

The Impact Caregiving And Decision-Making Has On Adult Sibling Relationships, Christina Vroman

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Dementia is characterized by a decrease in cognitive functioning, usually characterized by a progressive decline in brain function over time. As the condition progresses, individuals require more assistance from others in order to maintain their activities of daily, independent living and decision-making among other functions of life. The responsibility of caring for the aging population usually falls on adult children, which can cause stress and tension within the family dynamic. Adult siblings tend to believe that the responsibility of caregiving should be equally split among siblings (Amaro & Miller, 2016); however, it is often the case that one sibling takes …

Predictors Of Stress In Caregivers Of Family Members With Multiple Sclerosis, Lucy Lubinski

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system that typically results in cognitive and physical impairment. Depending upon the severity of symptoms, persons with MS often need assistance from caregivers in their daily lives. Research has shown that when a family member is diagnosed with the disease, household members become a source of caregiver support. The relationships between caregiver burden and chronic illness and between stress and health are well-documented. The impact of caregiving on individuals with MS remains a continued clinical concern, particularly because depression is highly co-occurring in those with the disease. Understanding the predictors …

Medical Students' Knowledge, Confidence, And Empathy Towards Dementia And Caregiver Stress, Courtney Williamson

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Early diagnosis of dementia and dementia-related illnesses provides increased time for treatment, which is aimed at maintaining patient function and delaying decline (Teel, 2004). Empirical studies have shown a decline in empathy during undergraduate and graduate medical education (Hojat et al., 2009). This study examines differences between 2nd and 4th year Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) students’ knowledge, empathy and confidence in working with individuals diagnosed with dementia and addressing caregiver stress. Students from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine completed an online survey which included the Knowledge in Dementia Scale (KIDE), Jefferson Scale …

Relationship Between Social Problem-Solving Skills, Quality Of Life, And Family Adjustment In Caregivers Of Children With Developmental Disability, Bonita Ellen Fisher

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study focused on the relationship between a caregiver's problem solving skills, their perceived quality of life, their family's adjustment to their child's disability, and the potential for mediation of those relationships by the child's behavior. A total of 111 parents completed the Social Problem Solving Skills Inventory-Revised, short form (SPSI-R:S), the World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment, brief version (WHOQOL-BREF), the Family Impact of Childhood Disability Scale (FlCD), the Nisonger Child Behavior rating Form (NCBRF) and a demographics questionnaire. Analyses of the data by Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient identified significant correlations between scores on the problem orientation components …

Caregiver Religiosity, Spirituality, And Positive Emotion As Predictors Of Psychological Well-Being In Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients, Andrea Beth Weller

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that results in degeneration of motor neurons of the cerebral cortex, the brainstem, and the spinal cord. Also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, ALS has no conclusive etiology and no known cure. The disease is ultimately fatal within approximately 3 to 5 years and robs individuals of all physical functions while leaving their intellectual capacity and personalities intact. Therefore, patients’ quality of life (QOL) becomes increasingly important in their lives and in the lives of their caregivers. Patients with ALS and their caregivers face a number of psychological, psychosocial, and existential …

Resiliency Factors: Predictors Of Quality Of Life In Family Caregivers Of Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Beatrice Hamblin Chakraborty

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease resulting from generalized degeneration of motor cells in the brain and spinal cord (The Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association [ALSA], 2004). Also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, ALS has no conclusive etiology, no known cure, and death generally occurs within three to five years following the diagnosis (Rabkin, Wagner, & Del Bene, 2000). Given the devastating and predictable course of ALS, it is understandable that this disease can have a profound, adverse impact on the quality of life (QOL) of the patient and the caregiver. However, not all caregivers, particularly spouses who …

Life Care Plans : A Resource For Caregivers, Carolyn E. Rutherford

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Life Care Plans have been used since the early 70s, primarily to assist in litigation involving catastrophic illness or injury. In the last decade Life Care Plans have become an important component in the field of litigation and rehabilitation. However, to date no studies have explored the impact having a Life Care Plan may have for the family Caregiver. Literature supports the need Caregivers have for detailed and concise information about their loved one's condition, plan of care and future needs. This study investigated the perceived helpfulness of the Life Care Plan to Caregivers. Using a 5-point Likert Scale, Caregivers …