POSITIVE EMOTIONAL CONNECTION AND CAREGIVER WELL-BEING IN BEHAVIORAL-VARIANT FRONTOTEMPORAL DEMENTIA. (20th December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chen, Kuan-Hua; Yee, Claire; Brown, Casey; Sapozhnikova, Anna; Pressman, Peter; Merrilees, Jennifer; Fredrickson, Barbara; Levenson, Robert
• Is Part Of: Innovation in aging. Volume 6(2022)Supplement 1
• Page Start: 401
• Page End: 401
• Publication Date: 2022-12-20
• Subjects: Aging -- Periodicals; Gerontology -- Periodicals; 612.67
• DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igac059.1577
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2399-5300

Abstract

Abstract: Behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) is characterized by impairment in socioemotional functioning. Spouses caring for individuals with bvFTD often experience profound health/well-being declines, compared to Alzheimer's disease (AD) caregivers and non-caregiving older adults. We hypothesized that disrupted positive emotional connections between spousal caregivers and individuals with bvFTD contribute to caregivers' lower emotional well-being. 23 bvFTD-caregiver, 23 AD-caregiver, and 17 control dyads had a 10-minute conflict conversation in the laboratory. Positive emotional connections were measured as the covariation of partners' positive emotional behaviors during the conversation. Caregiver emotional well-being was assessed via questionnaire (SF-36). We found that bvFTD caregivers had lower emotional well-being than AD caregivers and controls (who did not differ from each other, t=.80, p=.43), c=-.70, p<.01. Importantly, this effect was fully mediated by bvFTD caregivers' lower positive emotional connections, c'=-.38, n.s. We speculate that lower positive emotional connections can cause social isolation and contribute to bvFTD caregivers' health/well-being declines.