Caregiver Support and Self-Efficacy in Dementia Care

Informal caregivers of people with dementia play a pivotal role in sustaining daily functioning, managing behavioural and psychological symptoms, and preserving quality of life. The cumulative demands of supervision, personal care and emotional labour often give rise to high levels of stress, depression and physical morbidity. Self-efficacy – the belief in one’s capacity to organise and execute care duties effectively – emerges as a crucial resource, mediating the impact of stressors and buffering against adverse outcomes. Concurrently, caregiver support through formal services, peer networks and culturally tailored programmes can enhance self-efficacy by providing practical skills, emotional reassurance and opportunities for respite. Recent research underscores the interdependence of social support and self-efficacy: strong family and friend networks not only alleviate objective burden but also reinforce caregivers’ confidence in problem-solving and distress management. Interventions that combine goal-directed coaching, skills training and peer mentoring have shown promise in reducing perceived hassles, improving psychological well-being and fostering sustainable coping strategies. As dementia prevalence rises globally, scalable models of caregiver support and self-efficacy enhancement are recognised as central to public health planning, policy development and the design of community-based services.

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Caregiver Support and Self-Efficacy in Dementia Care publication trend

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Technical terms

Self-efficacy: A caregiver’s belief in their ability to manage care tasks, adapt to challenges and exert control over demanding situations.

Caregiver burden: The multidimensional strain—emotional, physical and financial—that arises from providing long-term care to someone with chronic needs.

Social support: Resources provided by family, friends and community networks, including emotional encouragement, informational advice and practical assistance.

Goal-directed coaching: A structured intervention that guides caregivers through setting and achieving specific objectives to enhance competence and reduce stress.

References

1. Source of Social Support and Caregiving Self-Efficacy on Caregiver Burden and Patient’s Quality of Life: A Path Analysis on Patients with Palliative Care Needs and Their Caregivers. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2020).
2. Coaching in self-efficacy improves care responses, health and well-being in dementia carers: a pre/post-test/follow-up study. BMC Health Services Research (2016).
3. Factors associated with caregiving self-efficacy among primary informal caregivers of persons with dementia in Singapore. BMC Geriatrics (2021).