Finding Benefit in Bereavement among Family Cancer Caregivers

To cite this article:
Youngmee Kim, Charles S. Carver, Richard Schulz, Aurelie Lucette, and Rachel S. Cannady. Journal of Palliative Medicine. September 2013, 16(9): 1040-1047. doi:10.1089/jpm.2013.0049.

Published in Volume: 16 Issue 9: September 16, 2013
Online Ahead of Print: August 1, 2013

Author information

Youngmee Kim, PhD¹ Charles S. Carver, PhD,¹ Richard Schulz, PhD,² Aurelie Lucette, MA,¹ and Rachel S. Cannady, BS³

¹Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida

²Department of Psychiatriy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

³American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia.

Address correspondence to:

Youngmee Kim, PhD

Department of Psychology

University of Miami

5665 Ponce de Leon Boulevard

Coral Gables, FL 33146

E-mail: ykim@miami.edu

Accepted March 26, 2013

ABSTRACT

Background and Objective: Even though cancer is the second most common cause of death, little is known about the extent to which family caregivers find meaning and benefit in the loss, and associated demographic characteristics and caregiving experiences. This study addressed this gap in our knowledge.

Design and Subjects: Family caregivers participated in a nationwide survey for cancer caregivers two years after the relative's diagnosis (T1). Of those, 121 were identified as bereaved by five years postdiagnosis (T2) and provided valid data for the study variables. Participants were primarily middle-aged, spouse of the deceased, and bereaved for an average of 2.9 years.

Measurements: Perceived caregiving stress, caregiver esteem, and patient's cancer severity as indicators of initial caregiving stressors and caregivers' demographics were measured at T1. Social support and time since bereavement as indicators of current resources and benefit finding in bereavement as an outcome were measured at T2.

Results: Reports of personal growth from bereavement emerged in multiple domains, although some caregivers were less likely to find benefit: nonspousal caregivers who had greater caregiving stress and spousal caregivers with lack of social support.

Conclusions: Findings suggest that bereavement programs designed to help bereaved caregivers find meaning in the loss should be personalized reflecting individual differences in caregiving stress and caregiver esteem. Such programs should also be tailored differently for spousal versus nonspousal caregivers.