'The flexible, the rigid and the ambivalent': a latent profile analysis in dementia caregiving regarding ambivalence, guilt, experiential avoidance, and dysfunctional beliefs.

Abstract

Objectives: Taking care of a relative with dementia is linked to relevant consequences on the physical and psychological status of the caregiver. However, several variables, such as experiential avoidance, ambivalence, and guilt feelings or the presence of rigid beliefs about care, may influence the impact of the stressors derived from caregiving. The objective was to identify caregiving profiles based on these variables and to examine their correlates.

Method: A total of 456 dementia caregivers participated.

Results: The results of latent profile analysis yielded three distinct profiles: (1) flexible, (2) rigid, and (3) ambivalent. The ambivalent profile was mostly composed of younger women who reported higher levels of depression, anxiety, and desire to institutionalize their relative with dementia. The rigid profile showed a lower use of formal resources for caring.

Conclusion: Our findings may help clinicians to identify highly vulnerable profiles in caregiving, which may be defined by being a younger woman, devoting fewer hours to caring, and reporting high stress associated with behavioral problems, and high levels of guilt and ambivalence.