Highlights
- •Family caregivers who caring postoperative inpatients had experienced both negative and positive psychological outcomes.
- •There were differences in the effects of insecure attachment on psychological outcomes.
- •Social support plays an important role in the relationships among insecure attachment, depression, and self-esteem.
Abstract
Purpose
To explore the psychological experiences of the family caregivers of inpatients with
gastric cancer or colorectal cancer, and to identify the relationships among insecure
attachment, social support, and psychological experiences.
Methods
The study design is a cross-sectional quantitative study collecting data through the
use of four questionnaires, including the Hospital Anxiety & Depression Scale, the
Self-esteem subscale of the Caregiver Reaction Assessment Scale, the Experience in
Close Relationship Scale and the Social Support Rating Scale. Hierarchical regression
analysis and path analysis were used to analyze the collected data.
Results
Data from 207 participants was used. Family caregivers had experienced both depression
and high self-esteem. Social support has significant direct effects on both depression
and self-esteem. Attachment anxiety had direct effects on depression and social support,
attachment avoidance had direct effects on self-esteem and social support. Social
support has mediated the relationship between adult attachment and psychological experiences.
Conclusions
Caregivers had experienced both negative and positive psychological outcomes. There
were differences in the effects of insecure attachment on psychological experiences.
Social support plays an important role in the relationships among insecure attachment,
depression, and self-esteem. Insecure attachment styles and social support should
be considered in tailored interventions for family caregivers to reduce their depression
and enhance their self-esteem.
Keywords
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Article Info
Publication History
Published online: November 18, 2019
Accepted:
November 8,
2019
Received in revised form:
November 4,
2019
Received:
August 8,
2019
Identification
Copyright
© 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
