The Role of Confidence in Family Caregiving for People with Dementia

Abstract

Abstract Objective: A lack of confidence directly impacts caregiver distress, thereby having a tremendous influence on the overall health of caregivers. The purpose of this study examined how The Family Caregiver Training Program impacts caregiver confidence. Method: A delayed-intervention, randomized design with control group and three month follow up examined confidence with 36 family caregivers of people with dementia. Participants completed the nine-item Caregiver Confidence Scale pretest, posttest, and three months posttest; the last five-items included a program evaluation subscale administered only at posttest. Results: Caregiver confidence, regardless of group assignment, improved; however, was not maintained three months posttest. Both groups reported favorable program evaluation scores, with 83% requesting the availability of online training. Conclusion: Findings provide new evidence in caregiver literature on caregiver confidence from ADL and standard care training. Clinical implications suggest implementation of training programs that include follow-up visits to maintain confidence, and trainings in an online format.