Cognitive and emotional overload as distinct burden phenotypes in Alzheimer’s caregivers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71112/0mj0tk97Keywords:
Alzheimer disease, caregiver burden, executive function, Trail Making Test, cognitive overload, caregiver profilesAbstract
Introduction: Informal caregiving for people with Alzheimer disease creates demands that affect caregiver health in ways not always captured by standard assessment.
Objective: To identify caregiver burden profiles based on burden, stress, and executive function, and the contribution of the latter.
Methods: Cross-sectional study in 84 informal caregivers of people with Alzheimer disease in Punta Arenas, Chile, assessed with the Zarit Burden Interview, the Stress Coping Questionnaire, the Trail Making Test, and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Index.
Results: Three profiles were identified —low burden, cognitive overload (high burden, low stress, impaired TMT-B), and emotional overload (high burden, high stress)—, differing significantly in burden (p < .001). TMT-B explained 54% of additional variance beyond stress.
Conclusions: Caregiver burden does not reduce to a single emotional profile: some caregivers show high burden with low stress but significant executive compromise, supporting assessment of executive function as well.
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