Social support networks and formal support as factors influencing the psychological adjustment of spouse caregivers of dementia sufferers

Abstract The study investigated the relationship between social and formal support in promoting the psychological adjustment of spouse caregivers of dementia sufferers. It was found that the quality of social support was negatively correlated with the degree of perceived strain and the level of depression. This result suggests that social support reduces the caregiver's strain or depression. In contrast, formal support was positively correlated with strain, but not with depression, indicating that in the present sample, increased formal support may be reactive to strain in the caregiver. The implications of the findings for the community care of dementia sufferers are discussed.