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Predicting caregiver burden and depression in Alzheimer's disease
Clyburn LD, Stones MJ, Hadjistavropoulos T, Tuokko H.. The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences, 2000-01-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictors of caregiver burden and depression, including objective stressors and mediation forces influencing caregiving outcomes. Methods This investigation is based on the 1994 Canadian Study of Health and Aging (CSHA) database. Participants were 613 individuals with dementia, living in either the community or an institution, and their informal caregivers. Participants for the CSHA were identified by screening a large random sample of elderly persons across Canada. Structural equation models representing four alternative pathways from caregiving stressors (e.g., functional limitations, disturbing behaviors, patient residence, assistance given to caregiver) to caregiver burden and depression were compared. Results The data provided the best fit to a model whereby the effects on the caregiver's well-being are mediated by appraisals of burden. A higher frequency of disturbing behavior, caring for a community-dwelling patient, and low informal support were related to higher burden, which in turn led to more depressive symptomatology. Caregivers of patients exhibiting more disturbing behaviors and functional limitations received less help from family and friends, whereas those whose care recipients resided in an institution received more informal support. Discussion Our findings add to the preexisting literature because we tested alternative models of caregiver burden using an unusually large sample size of participants and after overcoming methodological limitations of past research. Results highlight the importance of the effective management of disturbing behaviors, the provision of formal services for caregivers with highly impaired patients and no informal support, and the improvement of coping skills in burdened caregivers.
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APA 7th
Clyburn, L. D., Stones, M. J., Hadjistavropoulos, T., & Tuokko, H. (2000). Predicting caregiver burden and depression in Alzheimer's disease. The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/55.1.s2
Vancouver
Clyburn LD, Stones MJ, Hadjistavropoulos T, Tuokko H. Predicting caregiver burden and depression in Alzheimer's disease. The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences. 2000. doi:10.1093/geronb/55.1.s2. PMID: 10728125.
BibTeX
@article{clyburn2000-10728125,
author = {Clyburn, L. D. and Stones, M. J. and Hadjistavropoulos, T. and Tuokko, H.},
title = {{Predicting caregiver burden and depression in Alzheimer's disease}},
journal = {The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences},
year = {2000},
doi = {10.1093/geronb/55.1.s2},
pmid = {10728125},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/55.1.s2}
}
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Key findings
- Results The data provided the best fit to a model whereby the effects on the caregiver's well-being are mediated by appraisals of burden.
- Discussion Our findings add to the preexisting literature because we tested alternative models of caregiver burden using an unusually large sample size of participants and after overcoming methodological limitations of past research.
- Results highlight the importance of the effective management of disturbing behaviors, the provision of formal services for caregivers with highly impaired patients and no informal support, and the improvement of coping skills in burdened caregivers.
Why it matters
In 613 Canadian families caring for someone with dementia, caregivers felt more burdened when the person had more disturbing behaviors, lived at home rather than in an institution, or when family and friends gave little help — and that sense of burden went along with more depressive symptoms. Caregivers of people with more disturbing behaviors and functional limitations actually received less help from family and friends. The authors suggest managing difficult behaviors, offering formal services to caregivers who lack informal support, and building coping skills, though the study itself tested associations, not these interventions.
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Study details
- Participants613
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 47/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | The Journals of Gerontology Series B: journal h-index 225 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2000 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 613 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 526 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 18.8 citations a year over 28 year(s) since 2000 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 7.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 13 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 19 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Holly Anna Tuokko: h-index 46 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Lakehead University: institution h-index 289 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 10728125) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 47 / 100 | — |
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