Attachment insecurities, caregiver burden, and psychological distress among partners of patients with heart disease.
Caregiver psychological distress (i.e., depression and anxiety) is harmful to both caregiver and patient. Different affect-regulation strategies associated with attachment orientations may impact a caregiver's perception of their caregiving role as a burden, thereby contributing to their psycho...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2022-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269366 |
| _version_ | 1798001387260346368 |
|---|---|
| author | Simone Zofia Laflamme Karen Bouchard Karolina Sztajerowska Kathleen Lalande Paul S Greenman Heather Tulloch |
| author_facet | Simone Zofia Laflamme Karen Bouchard Karolina Sztajerowska Kathleen Lalande Paul S Greenman Heather Tulloch |
| author_sort | Simone Zofia Laflamme |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Caregiver psychological distress (i.e., depression and anxiety) is harmful to both caregiver and patient. Different affect-regulation strategies associated with attachment orientations may impact a caregiver's perception of their caregiving role as a burden, thereby contributing to their psychological distress. The aim of the present investigation was to examine the links among attachment orientations, caregiver burden, and psychological distress in a cardiac context. Participants (N = 181, Mage = 61.79, SD = 10.49; males = 24.7%) were romantic partners of patients with heart disease (i.e., informal caregivers) who completed validated questionnaires. The majority of caregivers had partners with coronary artery disease (n = 127, 70. 2%). 66.3% of caregivers reported low burden, 87.6% reported low levels of depression and 89.9% reported low levels of anxiety. The mean anxious attachment score was 2.74 (SD = 1.37) and the mean avoidant attachment score was 2.95 (SD = 1.26). Four mediation analyses were run using PROCESS macro for IBM SPSS (version 26). Statistical models showed that the relationships between attachment anxiety and psychological distress were mediated by caregiver burden [abanxiety= 0.15, 95% C.I. (0.04, 0.29); abdepression = 0.15, 95% C.I. (0.05, 0.28)] and that attachment avoidance was not a significant covariate (cvanxiety = -0.02, p>0.05; cvdepression = 0.40, p>0.05). The relationships between attachment avoidance and psychological distress were also mediated by caregiver burden [abanxiety = 0.23, 95% C.I. (0.10, 0.42); abdepression = 0.21, 95% C.I. (0.09, 0.37]with attachment anxiety as a significant covariate (cvanxiety = 1.09, p<0.001; cvdepression = 1.09, p<0.001). Interventions for caregivers reporting attachment insecurity and burden should be explored to potentially lessen caregiver distress as they support their partners with heart disease. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T11:35:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1c5dc0134bb448f2a1bdf1716c4f4357 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T11:35:24Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-1c5dc0134bb448f2a1bdf1716c4f43572022-12-22T04:25:58ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032022-01-01179e026936610.1371/journal.pone.0269366Attachment insecurities, caregiver burden, and psychological distress among partners of patients with heart disease.Simone Zofia LaflammeKaren BouchardKarolina SztajerowskaKathleen LalandePaul S GreenmanHeather TullochCaregiver psychological distress (i.e., depression and anxiety) is harmful to both caregiver and patient. Different affect-regulation strategies associated with attachment orientations may impact a caregiver's perception of their caregiving role as a burden, thereby contributing to their psychological distress. The aim of the present investigation was to examine the links among attachment orientations, caregiver burden, and psychological distress in a cardiac context. Participants (N = 181, Mage = 61.79, SD = 10.49; males = 24.7%) were romantic partners of patients with heart disease (i.e., informal caregivers) who completed validated questionnaires. The majority of caregivers had partners with coronary artery disease (n = 127, 70. 2%). 66.3% of caregivers reported low burden, 87.6% reported low levels of depression and 89.9% reported low levels of anxiety. The mean anxious attachment score was 2.74 (SD = 1.37) and the mean avoidant attachment score was 2.95 (SD = 1.26). Four mediation analyses were run using PROCESS macro for IBM SPSS (version 26). Statistical models showed that the relationships between attachment anxiety and psychological distress were mediated by caregiver burden [abanxiety= 0.15, 95% C.I. (0.04, 0.29); abdepression = 0.15, 95% C.I. (0.05, 0.28)] and that attachment avoidance was not a significant covariate (cvanxiety = -0.02, p>0.05; cvdepression = 0.40, p>0.05). The relationships between attachment avoidance and psychological distress were also mediated by caregiver burden [abanxiety = 0.23, 95% C.I. (0.10, 0.42); abdepression = 0.21, 95% C.I. (0.09, 0.37]with attachment anxiety as a significant covariate (cvanxiety = 1.09, p<0.001; cvdepression = 1.09, p<0.001). Interventions for caregivers reporting attachment insecurity and burden should be explored to potentially lessen caregiver distress as they support their partners with heart disease.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269366 |
| spellingShingle | Simone Zofia Laflamme Karen Bouchard Karolina Sztajerowska Kathleen Lalande Paul S Greenman Heather Tulloch Attachment insecurities, caregiver burden, and psychological distress among partners of patients with heart disease. PLoS ONE |
| title | Attachment insecurities, caregiver burden, and psychological distress among partners of patients with heart disease. |
| title_full | Attachment insecurities, caregiver burden, and psychological distress among partners of patients with heart disease. |
| title_fullStr | Attachment insecurities, caregiver burden, and psychological distress among partners of patients with heart disease. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Attachment insecurities, caregiver burden, and psychological distress among partners of patients with heart disease. |
| title_short | Attachment insecurities, caregiver burden, and psychological distress among partners of patients with heart disease. |
| title_sort | attachment insecurities caregiver burden and psychological distress among partners of patients with heart disease |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269366 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT simonezofialaflamme attachmentinsecuritiescaregiverburdenandpsychologicaldistressamongpartnersofpatientswithheartdisease AT karenbouchard attachmentinsecuritiescaregiverburdenandpsychologicaldistressamongpartnersofpatientswithheartdisease AT karolinasztajerowska attachmentinsecuritiescaregiverburdenandpsychologicaldistressamongpartnersofpatientswithheartdisease AT kathleenlalande attachmentinsecuritiescaregiverburdenandpsychologicaldistressamongpartnersofpatientswithheartdisease AT paulsgreenman attachmentinsecuritiescaregiverburdenandpsychologicaldistressamongpartnersofpatientswithheartdisease AT heathertulloch attachmentinsecuritiescaregiverburdenandpsychologicaldistressamongpartnersofpatientswithheartdisease |