Caregiving duration, family life events, family hardiness, and well-being of family caregivers of stroke survivors.

Abstract

The purpose of this descriptive research was to investigate the predictive power of caregiving duration, family life events, family hardiness to well-being of family caregivers. One hundred and twenty subjects were purposively selected family caregivers, who provided the majority of care to stroke survivors at home over a one-month period after discharge from the hospital. The findings of this study showed that family caregivers perceived their family life events at the low level, family hardiness at the moderate level, and had rather good well-being. Family caregivers' well-being was negatively correlated with family life events (r=-.49, p < .01). Family life events were negatively correlated with family hardiness at moderate level (r = -.41, p < .01). The caregiving duration did not correlate with any of the study variables. Family life events and family hardiness explained 31% of the variance in family caregivers' well-being. The results can be used to plan for guiding to assess families' stroke survivors and enhancing family caregiver adaptation when facing stressful situations.