Internal Resourcefulness, Task Demands, Coping, and Dysphoric Affect among Caregivers of the Frail Elderly

Abstract

Internal resourcefulness is defined as the repertoire of skills and behaviors individuals employ to deal with negative affective states. The relationships among caregivers' internal resourcefulness, demands of the caregiving situation, and caregivers' self-reported coping behaviors were examined relative to changes in dysphoric affect over time. Primary caregivers of the frail elderly ( N = 143) completed the following measures, at two time periods, approximately four months apart: Rosenbaum's Self Control Schedule, assessing internal resourcefulness [1]; Poulshock and Deimling's list of tasks carried out for the frail elder [2]; Zarit et al.'s Memory and Behavior Problem Check List assessing caregiver burden [3]; Moos et al.'s Indices of Coping [4]; and Beck et al.'s Depression Inventory as a means of assessing dysphoric affect [5]. Although caregivers' reactions to the care recipients' annoying behaviors predicted negative affect at time 1 and avoidant coping behavior predicted negative affect at times 1 and 2, internal resourcefulness was the only significant predictor of changes in dysphoric affect over time. Decreased dysphoric affect among caregivers was linked to possession of a larger initial set of internal resources to deal with negative internal experiences.