Introduction: Being a family caregiver of a person with dementia is associated with high levels of physical and psychological distress. While it has been pointed out that dispositional optimism is an excellent predictor of caregivers' well-being, the buffering role of optimism for the effect of caregiving stressors on distress has not been sufficiently explored. The aim of this study is to analyze if the association between caregivers' stress and their levels of depression is moderated by dispositional optimism.
Material and methods: We conducted face to face interviews with a sample of 115 informal caregivers (mean age: 59,77; standard deviation=13,12; 77,4% female). We used measures of appraisals of behavioural problems (RMBPC), dispositional optimism (LOT-R) and depression (CES-D). We analyzed the moderator role of optimism (global score and factors-optimism and pessimism) through lineal regression analyses.
Results: The tested model explained the 48% of the variance in depression, with main effects of appraisals (beta=0,34; p<0,01), optimism (factor) (beta=-0,49; p<0,01) and its interaction (beta=-0,26; p<0,01). The optimism factor was the only variable that showed a moderating effect. Optimistic caregivers with higher levels of stress associated with behavioural problems showed lower depression scores than non optimistic caregivers.
Conclusions: Optimism (factor) buffers the relationship between appraisals of behavioural problems and depression in caregivers.