Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

8-1990

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Education

Major Professor

Bill C. Wallace

Committee Members

James Neutens, Jeanette Jennings, Robert Kirk, Robert Levey, Corbett Curfman

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine psychological stress, personality characteristics, ways of coping and life satisfaction in caregivers of advances stage Alzheimer's disease victims. The sample consisted of 15 caregivers of Alzheimer's patients who were subjects in Drug Study X and a matched sample of non-caregivers from the Knoxville, Tennessee area. The research objectives were to determine whether differences existed between caregivers of advanced stage Alzheimer's disease victims and non-caregivers on the following dimensions: (a) psychological stress; (b) personality characteristics; (c) ways of coping; and (d) life satisfaction. Data were collected using a self-report battery of instruments which consisted of the following: (a) demographic information; (b) Life Events Scale (Holmes, 1967); (c) Minnesota Personality Inventory (University of Minnesota, 1943); (d) Ways of Coping Questionnaire, (1966); (e) Life Satisfaction Index Z (Wood, Wylie and Sheafor, 1969). Instruments were administered to the caregivers while they were awaiting neuropsychological testing to be completed on the Alzheimer's disease patients at UTMC. Non-caregivers were evaluated in as neutral setting as was possible. Statistical analysis consisted of means, standard deviations. Spearman Rank Correlations, the median test, two-sample t-test, and Fisher's Exact Test to assess differences between the two groups. Analysis showed that the two groups were not correlated as a result of the paired sampling, so they were treated as independent samples for statistical analysis. No significant differences in psychological stress resulting from life events or ways of coping were found between the two groups, nor were significant differences in personality characteristics observed on initial examination. However, analysis within and between the two groups specific to MMPI T-scores greater than 70 vs. less than 70, F-K greater than or equal to 12 vs. less than 12, and elevated depression scores vs. non-elevated depression scores, there were significant differences. Analysis within and between the two groups on the MMPI variables of the presence of clinical scale T-scores greater than 70 vs. less than 70, F-K validity scores greater than or equal to 12 vs. less than 12, and depression scale T-scores elevated at 70 or above vs. depression T-scores below 70 yielded some significant three-way interaction effects. Caregivers who attained one or more clinical scales at T-score 70 or above were found to show significantly lower ego strength, a lower F-K score (i.e. less defensiveness against psychological stress), and less use of support seeking and escape-avoidance as mechanisms for coping than caregivers attaining no T-score greater than or equal to 70. Caregivers who attained F-K scores greater than or equal to 12 were found to show significantly greater life satisfaction (17.3 vs. 9.6), less escape avoidance as a coping mechanism (5 vs. 12.75), greater ego strength (raw score 50.7 vs. 41.6) and less depression (in that non-caregiver subjects with F-K scores greater than or equal to 12 had depression scales elevated at or above T-score 70; whereas 5 out of 8 of the caregivers who had F-K scores less than 12 did have depression T-scores greater than or equal to 70) than caregivers attaining F-K score less than 12. Caregivers attaining depression scores at or above T-score 70 showed significantly lower life satisfaction (6.6 vs. 16.5), K scores (10.4 vs. 16.2), F-K scores (5.0 vs. 13.8), and ego strength raw scores (39.2 vs. 49.2) than caregivers scoring less than T-score 70 on the depression scale. Levels of life satisfaction between the two groups showed caregivers were significantly less satisfied. A positive correlation (rs=-54) was observed between ego strength and seeking social support for non-caregivers which was not found for caregivers. Furthermore, when one or more clinical scales were equal to or above T-score 70 in the non-caregiver group, subjects scored significantly higher on planful problem solving. Finally, positive correlations were present between ego strength and F-K among caregivers (rs=.67) and non-caregivers (rs=.57).

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