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Stress reduction for family caregivers: effects of adult day care use
Zarit SH, Stephens MA, Townsend A, Greene R.. The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences, 1998-09-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objectives This study reports the findings of an evaluation of the psychological benefits of use of adult day care by family caregivers assisting a relative with dementia. Methods The study used a quasi-experimental design in which caregivers in the treatment group used substantial amounts of services, whereas caregivers in a control group did not use day care at any point during the evaluation and only small amounts of other respite services. The evaluation was guided by the stress process model of caregiving which distinguishes between appraisals of primary stressors and well-being. Results Results after 3 months of day care use showed that the treatment group had significantly lower scores than the control group on two of the three measures of primary appraisals (overload and strain) and two of the three measures of well-being (depression and anger). Findings at one year showed that the treatment group had significantly lower scores on overload and depression than the control group. Discussion These results demonstrate that use of adult day care by caregivers of dementia patients results in lower levels of caregiving-related stress and better psychological well-being when compared to that of controls.
Key findings
- Results Results after 3 months of day care use showed that the treatment group had significantly lower scores than the control group on two of the three measures of primary appraisals (overload and strain) and two of the three measures of well-being (depression and anger).
- Findings at one year showed that the treatment group had significantly lower scores on overload and depression than the control group.
- Discussion These results demonstrate that use of adult day care by caregivers of dementia patients results in lower levels of caregiving-related stress and better psychological well-being when compared to that of controls.
Why it matters
This study found that family caregivers who used adult day care had lower levels of caregiving-related stress and better psychological well-being than those who did not. It addresses caregiver support and does not test a treatment for Alzheimer's disease itself.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 48/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 46 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 48 out of 100.
| 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 | 1998 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| 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 (pubmed indexes it as a clinical or observational study) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 355 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 11.8 citations a year over 30 year(s) since 1998 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 31.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 7 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 | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Pennsylvania State University: institution h-index 1,397 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 9750575) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 46 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 46 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 48 out of 100. |
| Total | 48 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Zarit, S. H., Stephens, M. A., Townsend, A., & Greene, R. (1998). Stress reduction for family caregivers: effects of adult day care use. The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/53b.5.s267
Vancouver
Zarit SH, Stephens MA, Townsend A, Greene R. Stress reduction for family caregivers: effects of adult day care use. The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences. 1998. doi:10.1093/geronb/53b.5.s267. PMID: 9750575.
BibTeX
@article{zarit1998-9750575,
author = {Zarit, S. H. and Stephens, M. A. and Townsend, A. and Greene, R.},
title = {{Stress reduction for family caregivers: effects of adult day care use}},
journal = {The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences},
year = {1998},
doi = {10.1093/geronb/53b.5.s267},
pmid = {9750575},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/53b.5.s267}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.
Later studies that cite this one
7 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references.