Caregiving Styles: A Cognitive and Behavioral Typology Associated With Dementia Family Caregiving

Mary A. Corcoran, George Washington University

Abstract

Purpose: An increasing number of elderly individuals

are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and

related disorders (ADRD), many of whom receive

daily caregiving from spouse or adult child. Caregiving

is a “cultural activity,” and as such it is strongly

influenced by sociocultural beliefs about caregiving

and how it should be enacted. Understanding this

thinking–action process has important implications

for future research and service. Reasoned action theory

provides empirical evidence that attitudes and

beliefs, as they are influenced by the social environment,

predict intentions to act. In turn, behavioral

intentions can reliably predict behaviors. This

grounded theory study describes a typology of caregiving

styles relevant to family members of an individual

with ADRD, where caregiving style is defined

as a culturally based pattern in thinking and action.

The goal of this study was to characterize the relationship

between caregiver intentions and care strategies.

Methods: Study participants included 97

individuals residing in the Washington, DC, area,

who provide daily care for a family member with

ADRD. Narrative data were collected from each

caregiver during three 1-hr interview sessions. A subset

of 30 caregiver–care recipient (CR) dyads was

videotaped during typical interactions. Results:

Four caregiving styles were identified (facilitating,

balancing, advocating, and directing), which differ

primarily in the intended focus of care and preferred

interactions with the CR. Implications: The results

provide a foundation for future studies of the relationships

between sociocultural context, caregiving styles

and strategies, and ensuing outcomes for caregiver–

CR dyads.