ABSTRACT
<p><b>Object:</b> To clarify the emotional and instrumental support influencing male caregivers for people with dementia living at home.</p><p><b>Patients/Materials and Methods:</b> The subjects were 298 male caregivers. Nursing care burden was assessed using the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale. Ability to cope with care problems was assessed using the Nursing Care Problems Coping Scale for Male Caregivers for People with Dementia Living at Home (NCSM). Emotional support was assessed using the Emotional Support Network Scale. Instrumental support was assessed using the question “Do you have someone to help when you have a problem with nursing care?”.</p><p><b>Results:</b> There was a significant correlation (P < 0.04) between the point (index) of NCSM and Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale. A positive significant correlation was found in three coping styles. A negative significant correlation was found in one coping style, and no significant correlation in one coping style. The ‘Solve the problem’ coping style was linked to support from both within and beyond the family. Both ‘Emotional avoidance’ and ‘Cognitive transformation’ coping styles were linked to support from within the family, and “Request assistance” style only to external support. There were no correlations between the source of support and the “Careful supervision and waiting” coping style.</p><p><b>Conclusion:</b> Emotional and instrumental support for male caregivers was more than three times more likely to be obtained from within the family than outside it. With families becoming smaller, it is becoming more important for communities and society in general to provide emotional and instrumental support for male caregivers. Male caregivers need support from someone with whom they feel comfortable. It is particularly necessary to consider how to support male caregivers who use the “Emotional avoidance” coping style.</p>
ABSTRACT
<b>Objective:</b> The number of male caregivers has increased, but male caregiversface several problems that reduce their quality of life and psychological condition. Thisstudy focused on the coping problems of men who care for people with dementia at home. Itaimed to develop a coping scale for male caregivers so that they can continue caring forpeople with dementia at home and improve their own quality of life. The study also aimedto verify the reliability and validity of the scale.<br><b>Patients/Material and Methods:</b> The subjects were 759 men who care for peoplewith dementia at home. The Care Problems Coping Scale consists of 21 questions based onelements of questions extracted from a pilot study. Additionally, subjects completed threeself-administered questionnaires: the Japanese version of the Zarit Caregiver BurdenScale, the Depressive Symptoms and the Self-esteem Emotional Scale, and RosenbergSelf-Esteem Scale.<br><b>Results:</b> There were 274 valid responses (36.1% response rate). Regarding theanswer distribution, each average value of the 21 items ranged from 1.56 to 2.68. Themedian answer distribution of the 21 items was 39 (SD = 6.6). Five items had a ceilingeffect, and two items had a floor effect. The scale stability was about 50%, andCronbach’s α was 0.49. There were significant correlations between the Care ProblemsCoping Scale and total scores of the Japanese version of the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale,the Depressive Symptoms and Self-esteem Emotional Scale, and the Rosenberg Self-EsteemScale.<br><b>Conclusion:</b> The answers provided on the Care Problems Coping Scalequestionnaire indicated that male caregivers experience care problems. In terms ofvalidity, there were significant correlations between the external questionnaires and 19of the 21 items in this scale. This scale can therefore be used to measure problems withcoping for male caregivers who care for people with dementia at home.