Advisor Information
Janelle N. Beadle
Location
MBSC Omaha Room 304 - G
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Start Date
4-3-2022 12:30 PM
End Date
4-3-2022 1:45 PM
Abstract
INVESTIGATING LONELINESS AND SOCIAL NETWORK SIZE IN CAREGIVERS TO OLDER ADULTS WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS
Authors: Hayley Fouche, Naomi Adjei, Janelle Beadle
Word Count: 229
Providing caregiving support to older adults with chronic conditions can be physically and mentally challenging. Due to the significant time demands of the caregiving role, caregivers may find it difficult to maintain and nurture their relationships with family and friends. Yet, few studies have specifically examined the degree to which caregiving for older adults with chronic conditions is associated with loneliness or differences in social networks size from non-caregivers. Understanding the risk factors for loneliness among caregivers may provide insights into ways to improve caregiver well-being. The present study investigated relationships among loneliness and social network size in a group of 21 caregivers to older adults with chronic conditions in comparison to 21 demographically-matched non-caregivers. Due to previous literature suggesting a high level of shared variance between loneliness and neuroticism (i.e., a measure of negative affect), analyses examining loneliness included neuroticism as a covariate. We found a significant difference in loneliness between caregivers and non-caregivers (p< 0.05), with caregivers reporting lower loneliness. At the group level, a negative correlation was found between loneliness and total friends (p
Scheduling Link
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Included in
Gerontology Commons, Geropsychology Commons, Other Neuroscience and Neurobiology Commons, Other Public Health Commons, Other Sociology Commons, Social Psychology Commons
INVESTIGATING LONELINESS AND SOCIAL NETWORK SIZE IN CAREGIVERS TO OLDER ADULTS WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS
MBSC Omaha Room 304 - G
INVESTIGATING LONELINESS AND SOCIAL NETWORK SIZE IN CAREGIVERS TO OLDER ADULTS WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS
Authors: Hayley Fouche, Naomi Adjei, Janelle Beadle
Word Count: 229
Providing caregiving support to older adults with chronic conditions can be physically and mentally challenging. Due to the significant time demands of the caregiving role, caregivers may find it difficult to maintain and nurture their relationships with family and friends. Yet, few studies have specifically examined the degree to which caregiving for older adults with chronic conditions is associated with loneliness or differences in social networks size from non-caregivers. Understanding the risk factors for loneliness among caregivers may provide insights into ways to improve caregiver well-being. The present study investigated relationships among loneliness and social network size in a group of 21 caregivers to older adults with chronic conditions in comparison to 21 demographically-matched non-caregivers. Due to previous literature suggesting a high level of shared variance between loneliness and neuroticism (i.e., a measure of negative affect), analyses examining loneliness included neuroticism as a covariate. We found a significant difference in loneliness between caregivers and non-caregivers (p< 0.05), with caregivers reporting lower loneliness. At the group level, a negative correlation was found between loneliness and total friends (p