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Citation
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Brickell TA, Wright MM, Lippa SM, Sullivan JK, Bailie JM, French LM, Lange RT. Qual. Life Res. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub. |
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Abstract
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PURPOSE: To examine factors related to resilience in military caregivers across caregiver health-related quality of life (HRQOL), caregiver sociodemographic variables, and service member/veteran (SMV) injury and health status.
METHODS: Caregivers (N = 346, Female = 96.2%; Spouse = 91.0%; Age: M = 40.6 years, SD = 9.3) of SMVs following a mild, moderate, severe, or penetrating TBI were recruited from U.S. military treatment facilities and via community outreach. Caregivers completed select TBI-CareQOL and NIH Toolbox scales, the Caregiver Appraisal Scale, Caregiver Questionnaire, and Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory-4. Caregivers were divided into three groups using the TBI-QOL Resilience scale: (1) Low-Moderate Resilience (n = 125), (2) Moderate Resilience (n = 122), and (3) Moderate-High Resilience (n = 99).
RESULTS: Factors related to low caregiver resilience were strain on employment, financial burden from out-of-pocket expenses, caring for children, less personal time, caring for both verbal and physical irritability, anger, and aggression, and lower SMV functional ability (all p's < .05). The Low-Moderate Resilience group had consistently worse HRQOL scores compared to the Moderate and Moderate-High Resilience groups (ps < .001; d = .50-1.60), with the exception of Caregiving Ideology.
CONCLUSION: Lower resilience among caregivers of SMVs following TBI is associated with poorer caregiver HRQOL. Programs aimed at promoting and maintaining resilience in military caregivers long-term is important for their own health, the health of the SMV, and the health of their children.
Language: en |