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Caregiver Burden and Depression Among Chinese Family Caregivers: the Role of Self-compassion

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Abstract

Objectives

This study aimed to examine the association between caregiver burden and depression among Chinese cancer caregivers, and to identify the buffering role of self-compassion in the relationship between caregiver burden and depressive symptoms. In China, family caregivers perform major tasks and responsibilities on behalf of cancer patients because of unique Chinese norms regarding family obligations and the underdeveloped healthcare system. The caregiver burden has become a major challenge facing family members, and it could elicit depressive symptoms, but the protective factors buffering the effects of caregiver burden on depression are understudied.

Methods

A convenience sample of 208 family caregivers of cancer patients visiting a hospital in Tianjin City was surveyed. Data on depression, caregiver burden, and self-compassion were collected using reliable established scales. A series of linear regression models was estimated to determine the statistical relationships among the variables and the moderation effect of self-compassion.

Results

Caregiving burden was positively associated with depression, and the hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that self-compassion was associated with a reduction in the negative influence of caregiver burden on depression.

Conclusions

This correlational study, which found an association between caregiving burden and depression, provides the basis for a longitudinal study that examines whether there is a causal relationship between caregiving burden and depression among Chinese caregivers of individuals with cancer.

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Funding

This study has been supported by fund for building world-class universities (disciplines) of Renmin University of China (2020).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Work, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA

    Shuo Xu

  2. Center for Studies of Sociological Theory and Method, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China

    Huiping Zhang

  3. Department of Social Work and Social Policy, The School of Sociology and Population Studies, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China

    Huiping Zhang & Jingxin Wang

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  1. Shuo Xu
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  2. Huiping Zhang
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Contributions

SX outlined the article and revised the whole manuscript. HZ was the project leader, led the overall study design, and analyzed the data; and wrote the “Method” and “Results” sections. JW collected the data and executed the survey. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript for submission.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Huiping Zhang.

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Ethical Approval

The research procedure and data collection method were approved by the research ethics committee in the School of Sociology and Population Studies at Renmin University of China.

Informed Consent

All participants have been provided the purpose and procedures of this survey, and they were informed that they were voluntary and can quit anytime. Each participant signed an informed consent before the survey.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Xu, S., Zhang, H. & Wang, J. Caregiver Burden and Depression Among Chinese Family Caregivers: the Role of Self-compassion. Mindfulness 11, 1647–1654 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-020-01378-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-020-01378-7

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