Caregiver burden and the perceived social support of the family caregivers of the patients awaiting hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Relationship between caregiver burden and family resilience among Chinese parents of children with autism spectrum disorder: The mediating role of social support and positive cognition

PURPOSE

This study was designed to assess the impact of caregiver burden on family resilience and explore the potential mediating role of social support and positive cognition in this association among Chinese families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

DESIGN AND METHODS

A total of 254 parents of children with ASD were recruited using convenience sampling from five ASD rehabilitation institutions in Wenzhou and Ningbo, Zhejiang Province from June to August 2021. The Zarit Burden Scale, Social Support Rate Scale, Illness Cognition Questionnaire-Parent Version, and Family Resilience Assessment Scale were employed to investigate the mediating mechanisms of social support and illness cognition between caregiver burden and family resilience. Structural equation models were conducted to evaluate the relationships among the variables.

RESULTS

This study revealed that caregiver burden negatively associated with family resilience, with social support partially mediating this relationship (accounting for 17.86 % of the total effect), and both factors being indirectly linked through social support and positive cognition (accounting for 3.76 % of the total effect).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings emphasize the need for interventions aimed at enhancing social support and positive cognition to alleviate the negative effects of caregiver burden on family resilience among parents of children with ASD.

Psychosocial situation, burden, and unmet needs among informal caregivers prior to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a systematic review of quantitative and qualitative data

BACKGROUND

Informal caregivers may face challenges, especially during the pre-transplant phase. We have learned about the challenges faced by informal caregivers during hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; there is a lack of consensus about the challenges faced by them before transplantation. We identified the psychosocial well-being of informal caregivers to patients before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

METHOD

A systematic review was conducted and analyzed in two subsets: one qualitative and one quantitative. (PROSPERO ID: CRD42023410710; 03/04/2022). An electronic literature search of PubMed, EMBASE, Medline, CINAHL, and PsycINFO was conducted up to July 2024. Full-text review and quality appraisal were completed independently and in duplicate by two reviewers with conflicts resolved by a third reviewer. Qualitative and quantitative data were tabulated together using thematic synthesis and then categorized according to outcomes of interest.

RESULTS

Nineteen quantitative studies, two qualitative, and two mixed studies were included. Informal caregivers experience high levels of anxiety and depression before transplantation, facing varying degrees of psychological distress, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, negative perceptions of transplant expectations, and moderate to severe caregiving burden. Qualitative research has identified two key themes: the empowering effect of information and the emotional burden of uncertainty.

CONCLUSION

Caregivers endure considerable emotional strain, caregiving burden, and unmet needs during the pre-transplant period. Medical staff must attend to the mental health and specific needs of informal caregivers before transplantation. Integrating informal caregivers into cancer care is essential to enhance the quality of nursing and, consequently, to optimize patient outcomes.