The relationship between attachment quality and expressed emotion among adult children caring for parents with dementia

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  • March 22, 2019
Creator
  • Chen, Cory Keryei
    • Affiliation: College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience
Abstract
  • The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between attachment quality and expressed emotion (EE) among adult children caring for parents with dementia. EE has been shown to significantly impact care-recipient outcome across a wide variety of chronic conditions including dementia. However, it remains unclear why some caregivers respond to their care-recipients with high EE and others do not. A significant body of literature has demonstrated that attachment significantly guides caregiving behavior across a variety of relationships. The current study attempts to explore whether attachment may serve as a model for understanding EE among individuals caring for a parent with dementia. Additionally, the current study examines attribution style as a potential mediator of that relationship. One hundred individuals self-identified as the primary family caregiver of a parent or in-law with dementia participated in the study. Caregivers were sent a questionnaire packet and participated in a one hour telephone interview. Structural equation modeling was used to test the substantive hypotheses and revealed some support for a relationship between attachment and EE; however, the pattern of findings suggest that different relationships exist among the various aspects of attachment and EE. Additionally, the proposed mediational model was not supported. Results are discussed with reference to the different methods of assessing EE and attachment and how those differences may have impacted the observed relationships. Implications for future research and clinical intervention are also discussed.
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  • In Copyright
Advisor
  • Hartman, Marilyn Dina
  • Miklowitz, David Jay
Degree granting institution
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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  • Open access
Date uploaded
  • October 19, 2010

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