A study of the relationship between social support, caregiving experience and depressed mood of family caregivers of home-dwelling older adults with disability- - a cross-sectional study
Abstract Background Population aging in China has intensified psychological challenges for family caregivers. This study investigates the relationships among social support, caregiving experiences, and depressed mood in family caregivers of home-dwelling older adults with disabilities, aiming to pro...
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| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-03-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22276-4 |
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| author | Qianqian Yu Lingfeng Xu Lifang Zhou XiaoLi Jiang Na Xu Zihan Lang Yixuan Wu Chengliang Yin |
| author_facet | Qianqian Yu Lingfeng Xu Lifang Zhou XiaoLi Jiang Na Xu Zihan Lang Yixuan Wu Chengliang Yin |
| author_sort | Qianqian Yu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Population aging in China has intensified psychological challenges for family caregivers. This study investigates the relationships among social support, caregiving experiences, and depressed mood in family caregivers of home-dwelling older adults with disabilities, aiming to provide theoretical guidance for enhancing caregivers’ physical and mental well-being and optimizing home-based care services. Methods A random sample of 494 family caregivers from three districts in a specified city was surveyed. Data included demographics of family caregivers and care recipients, scores from the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), Zarit Burden Interview Scale (ZBI), Positive Aspects of Caregiving Scale (PAC), and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D 10). Statistical analyses comprised t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation, and stratified linear regression. Results Mean scores for social support, positive caregiving experience, caregiving burden, and depressed mood were 28.62 ± 5.82, 32.01 ± 6.13, 34.59 ± 18.41, and 8.22 ± 5.96, respectively. Depressed mood scores varied significantly with family caregivers’ education, self-rated health, and care recipients’ disability severity (P < 0.01). Social support was negatively correlated with both caregiving burden and depressed mood (P < 0.01), and positively correlated with positive caregiving experience (P < 0.01). Positive caregiving experience was negatively associated with caregiving burden and depressed mood (P < 0.01), whereas caregiving burden was positively correlated with depressed mood (P < 0.01). Regression analysis indicated that social support and positive experience negatively predicted depressed mood (path coefficients: -0.11 and − 0.37, P < 0.01), while caregiving burden had a significant positive effect (path coefficient: 0.35, P < 0.01). Conclusion Social support exerts a direct negative effect on caregivers’ depressed mood, with caregiving experience playing a chain mediating role in this relationship. Strengthening the social support and enhancing the positive caregiving experience may reduce depressed mood. Governments and communities should strengen systemic support by establishing caregiver networks, expanding skill-building programs, and integrating mental health resources. These measures could empower family caregivers to manage responsibilities effectively, improving well-being for both family caregivers and care recipients. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e0989eaceaa84f85a67fdc639963ae4a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-e0989eaceaa84f85a67fdc639963ae4a2025-08-20T03:39:57ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582025-03-0125111410.1186/s12889-025-22276-4A study of the relationship between social support, caregiving experience and depressed mood of family caregivers of home-dwelling older adults with disability- - a cross-sectional studyQianqian Yu0Lingfeng Xu1Lifang Zhou2XiaoLi Jiang3Na Xu4Zihan Lang5Yixuan Wu6Chengliang Yin7School of Management, Shandong Second Medical UniversitySchool of Management, Shandong Second Medical UniversitySchool of Public Health, Shandong Second Medical UniversitySchool of Management, Shandong Second Medical UniversitySchool of Management, Shandong Second Medical UniversitySchool of Management, Shandong Second Medical UniversitySchool of Management, Shandong Second Medical UniversitySchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong Second Medical UniversityAbstract Background Population aging in China has intensified psychological challenges for family caregivers. This study investigates the relationships among social support, caregiving experiences, and depressed mood in family caregivers of home-dwelling older adults with disabilities, aiming to provide theoretical guidance for enhancing caregivers’ physical and mental well-being and optimizing home-based care services. Methods A random sample of 494 family caregivers from three districts in a specified city was surveyed. Data included demographics of family caregivers and care recipients, scores from the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), Zarit Burden Interview Scale (ZBI), Positive Aspects of Caregiving Scale (PAC), and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D 10). Statistical analyses comprised t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation, and stratified linear regression. Results Mean scores for social support, positive caregiving experience, caregiving burden, and depressed mood were 28.62 ± 5.82, 32.01 ± 6.13, 34.59 ± 18.41, and 8.22 ± 5.96, respectively. Depressed mood scores varied significantly with family caregivers’ education, self-rated health, and care recipients’ disability severity (P < 0.01). Social support was negatively correlated with both caregiving burden and depressed mood (P < 0.01), and positively correlated with positive caregiving experience (P < 0.01). Positive caregiving experience was negatively associated with caregiving burden and depressed mood (P < 0.01), whereas caregiving burden was positively correlated with depressed mood (P < 0.01). Regression analysis indicated that social support and positive experience negatively predicted depressed mood (path coefficients: -0.11 and − 0.37, P < 0.01), while caregiving burden had a significant positive effect (path coefficient: 0.35, P < 0.01). Conclusion Social support exerts a direct negative effect on caregivers’ depressed mood, with caregiving experience playing a chain mediating role in this relationship. Strengthening the social support and enhancing the positive caregiving experience may reduce depressed mood. Governments and communities should strengen systemic support by establishing caregiver networks, expanding skill-building programs, and integrating mental health resources. These measures could empower family caregivers to manage responsibilities effectively, improving well-being for both family caregivers and care recipients.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22276-4Home-dwelling older adults with disabilitiesFamily caregiversSocial supportCaregiving experienceDepressed mood |
| spellingShingle | Qianqian Yu Lingfeng Xu Lifang Zhou XiaoLi Jiang Na Xu Zihan Lang Yixuan Wu Chengliang Yin A study of the relationship between social support, caregiving experience and depressed mood of family caregivers of home-dwelling older adults with disability- - a cross-sectional study BMC Public Health Home-dwelling older adults with disabilities Family caregivers Social support Caregiving experience Depressed mood |
| title | A study of the relationship between social support, caregiving experience and depressed mood of family caregivers of home-dwelling older adults with disability- - a cross-sectional study |
| title_full | A study of the relationship between social support, caregiving experience and depressed mood of family caregivers of home-dwelling older adults with disability- - a cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | A study of the relationship between social support, caregiving experience and depressed mood of family caregivers of home-dwelling older adults with disability- - a cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | A study of the relationship between social support, caregiving experience and depressed mood of family caregivers of home-dwelling older adults with disability- - a cross-sectional study |
| title_short | A study of the relationship between social support, caregiving experience and depressed mood of family caregivers of home-dwelling older adults with disability- - a cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | study of the relationship between social support caregiving experience and depressed mood of family caregivers of home dwelling older adults with disability a cross sectional study |
| topic | Home-dwelling older adults with disabilities Family caregivers Social support Caregiving experience Depressed mood |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22276-4 |
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