Goal adjustment capacities, coping, and subjective well-being

The sample case of caregiving for a family member with mental illness

Datos Bibliográficos

ID6201339
AutoresCarsten Wrosch (0000-0001-8845-2260, Concordia University), Ella Amir (Concordia University), Gale E Miller (0000-0002-7217-1082, University of British Columbia), Gregory E Miller
Año2011
Volumen100
Número5
Páginas934-946
Fecha de publicación2011-05-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaJournal of Personality and Social Psychology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0022-3514 • E-ISSN: 1939-1315
EditorialAmerican Psychological Association (APA) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1037/a0022873
PMID21381855
PMCIDPMC3119533
OpenAlexW2037397921
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas13
Referencias citadas32

This study examined the associations between goal adjustment capacities, coping, and indicators of subjective well-being in 2 waves of data from individuals who provide care for a family member with mental illness. We hypothesized that goal adjustment capacities would predict higher levels of subjective well-being by facilitating coping with caregiving stress. Results showed that goal disengagement was associated with effective care-specific coping (e.g., less self-blame and substance use). Goal reengagement was also associated with effective care-specific coping (e.g., positive reframing), but at the same time it predicted the use of less effective strategies (e.g., venting and self-distraction). Moreover, goal disengagement predicted lower levels of caregiver burden and depressive symptoms and buffered the longitudinal effect of caregiver burden on increases in depressive symptoms. Goal reengagement, by contrast, predicted higher levels of caregiver burden and purpose in life and buffered the cross-sectional association between caregiver burden and depressive symptoms. Finally, effective (and less useful) care-specific coping statistically explained the adaptive (and maladaptive) effects of goal adjustment capacities on participants' well-being

Caregiver burden · Cognitive reframing · Coping (psychology) · Disease · Disengagement theory · Hopefulness · Mental health · Mental illness · Psychiatry · Clinical Psychology · Family Caregiving in Mental Illness · Medicine · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction · Psychology · Social Psychology · Gerontology