Resourcefulness training for grandmothers: preliminary evidence of effectiveness

In this pilot study of 102 grandmothers raising grandchildren, we used a quasi-experimental, repeated measures design to examine effects of resourcefulness training reinforced by expressive writing (journaling) or verbal disclosure (digital voice recording) in reducing stress and depressive symptoms and enhancing quality of life. Resourcefulness training was compared with expressive writing, verbal disclosure, and attention control conditions. Both the expressive writing and verbal disclosure methods for reinforcing resourcefulness training were more effective than the other three conditions in reducing stress and depressive symptoms and improving quality of life. No difference was found between the two reinforcement methods. Grandmothers may benefit from learning resourcefulness skills and from practicing them in ways that best fit their needs and lifestyles.

Resourcefulness in African American and Caucasian American Caregivers of Persons With Dementia: Associations With Perceived Burden, Depression, Anxiety, Positive Cognitions, and Psychological Well-Being

PURPOSE

Providing care to persons with dementia can have negative effects on caregivers' physical and psychological well-being. This secondary analysis explored relationships among perceived burden, depression, anxiety, resourcefulness, and psychological well-being in 28 African American (AA) and 45 Caucasian American (CA) caregivers of persons with dementia.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Descriptive, cross-sectional design was used to examine the hypothesized relationships in a sample of 73 caregivers.

FINDINGS

CAs reported greater burden (t=-3.68, p<.001), more anxiety (t=-2.66, p<.01), depression (t=-2.21, p<.05), and hostility (t=-2.30, p<.05) than AAs. AAs reported higher scores than CAs on resourcefulness, positive cognitions, and psychological well-being.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

The study findings provided directions for the development of resourcefulness interventions to enhance the psychological well-being among dementia caregivers.

Resourcefulness training for grandmothers raising grandchildren: establishing fidelity

Over one million American grandmothers raise grandchildren, and many experience stress that adversely affects their mental health. Teaching resourcefulness skills can minimize this stress. However, before testing effectiveness of resourcefulness training (RT), its fidelity must be established. This pilot intervention trial examined the fidelity of two methods of RT: expressive writing (journaling) and verbal disclosure (voice recording) using a quasi-experimental design with random assignment of 80 grandmothers to RT-expressive writing, RT-verbal disclosure, or expressive writing or verbal disclosure alone. Quantitative data (Resourcefulness Scale) and qualitative data (journals, recordings) were collected. Grandmothers with RT showed greater resourcefulness over time than those without RT, with similar effects for RT-expressive writing and RT-verbal disclosure. Evidence for the use of RT skills was found in journals and recordings. The findings provide support for RT intervention fidelity and support moving forward to test RT effectiveness in reducing grandmothers' stress and promoting their mental health.

Self-assessed health in caregivers of persons with autism spectrum disorder: associations with depressive symptoms, positive cognitions, resourcefulness, and well-being

PURPOSE

Caregiving for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can affect family caregivers' self-assessed health. The purpose of this study was to determine whether depressive symptoms, positive cognitions, resourcefulness, and well-being will differ significantly among those who rated their health as fair, good, or excellent.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This study is a secondary analysis of 109 ASD caregivers who were recruited from the Interactive ASD Network.

FINDINGS

Depression was significantly lower among those who rated their health as excellent than among those who rated their health as fair. Positive cognitions, resourcefulness, and well-being were significantly higher among those who rated their health as excellent than among those who rated their health as fair.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Interventions to enhance caregivers' positive cognitions, resourcefulness, and well-being are recommended.

Resourcefulness Intervention Efficacy for Parent Caregivers of Technology-Dependent Children: A Randomized Trial

Parent caregivers of children who require lifesaving technology (e.g., mechanical ventilation, feeding tubes) must maintain a high level of vigilance 24/7. A two-arm randomized controlled trial tested the efficacy of a resourcefulness intervention on parents' mental/physical health and family functioning at four time points over six months. Participants (n = 93) cared for their technology-dependent children <18 years at home. The intervention arm received teaching on social (help-seeking), personal (self-help) resourcefulness skills; access to the intervention video and skill application video-vignettes; four weeks of skills reinforcement using daily logs; four weekly phone contacts; and booster sessions at two- and four-month postenrollment. The attention control arm received phone contact at identical time points plus the current standard of care. Statistically significant improvement was noted; fewer depressive cognitions and improved physical health for the intervention participants than attention control participants over time after controlling for covariates. The findings support the resourcefulness intervention efficacy.

Caregiving Stress and Self-Rated Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Mediating Role of Resourcefulness

Family caregivers faced unprecedented circumstances and experienced increased levels of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Resourcefulness can minimize the effect of stress on health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between caregiving stress during the pandemic, resourcefulness, and self-rated health and assess the mediating effect of resourcefulness. A convenience sample of 70 family caregivers of adults with chronic and/or disabling conditions was recruited using social media groups and professional networking platforms. Data were collected using an online survey and analyzed using linear regression. Mediation analysis was conducted using the PROCESS macro. Higher levels of caregiving stress during the pandemic and lower levels of resourcefulness were associated with worse self-rated health, while controlling for age, employment status, and weekly caregiving hours. Resourcefulness mediated the relationship between caregiving stress and self-rated health. Our findings highlight the importance of assessing the psychological impact of the pandemic on family caregivers' outcomes. Resourcefulness skills can be targeted to improve the health and well-being of family caregivers during and beyond the pandemic.

The link among academic stress, sleep disturbances, depressive symptoms, academic performance, and the moderating role of resourcefulness in health professions students during COVID-19 pandemic

Background

The rapid shift to virtual learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to high academic stress among health profession students. High academic stress was associated with impaired psychosocial well-being and decreased academic performance.

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between academic stress, anxiety, sleep disturbances, depressive symptoms, academic performance, and the moderating effect of resourcefulness among undergraduate health profession students.

Methods

This descriptive and cross-sectional study included undergraduate health profession students. The primary investigator distributed the study link to all students through the university's Central Messaging Centre, Twitter account, and WhatsApp. The study variables were measured using the Student Life Stress Inventory, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 questionnaire, the Centre for Epidemiology Scale of Depression, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the Resourcefulness Skills Scale. Pearson R correlation and linear regression analysis were utilized for statistical analysis.

Results

Our sample included 94 undergraduate health profession students, 60 % of which were females with a mean age of 21, and the majority were nursing and medicine students. High academic stress, anxiety, sleep disturbances, depressive symptoms, and resourcefulness were reported among 50.6 %, 43 %, 79.6 %, 60.2 %, and 60 % of the participants, respectively. However, no effect of resourcefulness was found on any of the study variables. Instead, academic stress and sleep disturbances were the strongest predictors of depressive symptoms regardless of the level of resourcefulness.

Conclusion

Adequate academic support during virtual learning and tools to early detect subtle signs of high academic stress, anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance should be routinely utilized by educational institutions. In addition, incorporating sleep hygiene and resourcefulness training in health professions education is highly indicated.

Grandchildren's Depressive Symptoms and Perceptions of Family Functioning: Protective and Influencing Factors

A recent increase in children living with grandparents places more children at increased risk for emotional, psychological, or behavioral problems. This study used the Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment, and Adaptation to examine how children's living situation, parental monitoring, child's resourcefulness, and perceived support affect depressive symptoms and perceived family functioning. Of participants, 36% ( n = 56) lived with their parents only, 44% ( n = 69) lived with a grandmother as their primary caregiver, and 20% ( n = 31) lived in a multigenerational household. Results indicate parental monitoring and support affected perceptions of family functioning. Subjective support and resourcefulness affected depressive symptoms. No effects were found from living situation and demographic factors. Resourcefulness had the strongest effect on depressive symptoms, with a 3-point decrease in symptoms for each incremental increase in resourcefulness. This study provides insight into factors influencing children's depressive symptoms and perceived family functioning, and provides direction for the development of future interventions.

Is There More to Resourcefulness Than Personal and Social Skills?

This study examined relationships among personal and social resourcefulness and spiritual practices and their associations with perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and self-assessed health in 138 women caregivers of elders with dementia. Caregivers who rated high on personal and social resourcefulness and spiritual practices (by median splits) had the lowest perceived stress, fewest depressive symptoms, and best self-assessed health, followed in sequence by women rating high on two of the three, high on one of the three, and low on all three. Hierarchical regression analyses that introduced spiritual practices after resourcefulness showed significant increases in the R-square change by 3% and 5% for perceived stress and depressive symptoms, respectively, but no significant change for self-assessed health. Strong associations among personal and social resourcefulness and spiritual practices, and similar relationships with two health outcomes, suggest that spiritual practices may be a third dimension of resourcefulness.

Theoretical and Operational Consideration of Mindfulness, Resilience, and Resourcefulness

Mindfulness, resilience, and resourcefulness are theoretically distinct but related constructs critical for improving psychosocial well-being outcomes for informal caregivers and others. Our aims were to evaluate the theoretical and operational distinctions among these constructs. Measures of mindfulness (Decentering Scale), resilience (Connor-Davidson Scale) and resourcefulness (Resourcefulness Scale) were collected from a national sample of 348 grandmother caregivers. We conducted exploratory factor analysis and examined correlation patterns. Inter-correlations ranged from r= .26 (resourcefulness and resilience) to r= .73 (resilience and mindfulness). Factor analyses and scree plots indicated unidimensional factors for resilience and for mindfulness, and two factors for resourcefulness (personal and social). When items from all measures were analyzed together, the four factors remained. Distinct relationships were found between mindfulness, resilience, and resourcefulness with relevant external variables. Our results support the conceptual distinctions among the constructs, providing support for interventions targeting these constructs to improve psychosocial outcomes in caregivers.

“Can we build it? Yes, we can!” complexities of resource re-deployment to fight pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, several countries asked their domestic firms to produce various medical equipment. Many firms promised to do so, including redesigns of existing ventilators or designing new ones. Despite these firms' enthusiasm, however, many of their attempts at being resourceful- through deploying their resources in activities beyond their current use- were unsuccessful. Our study attempts to explain why the success of these efforts varied. We integrate concepts of resourcefulness, managerial cognition, and product architecture to develop a typology of resourcing approaches, using a firm's characteristics and resources, its interpretative frames, and the technical and regulatory characteristics of the product being resourced for as boundary conditions. We illustrate our theorizing through case studies on the manufacturing of face shields, hand sanitiser, face masks, and medical ventilators. Our study provides important implications for firms attempting to deploy their resources in new contexts.

Effects of Postpartum Fatigue and Depressive Cognitions on Life Satisfaction and Quality of Life in Arab Postpartum Women: The Intervening Role of Resourcefulness

The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships among postpartum fatigue (PPF), depressive cognitions, resourcefulness, quality of life, and life satisfaction in Arab postpartum mothers. A conceptual framework is used in this study based on the middle range theory of resourcefulness, which Zauszniewski developed in 2006. The study is a cross-sectional descriptive design with 123 postpartum women who had given birth within the past six months. used WhatsApp and Facebook for recruitment. developed the self-administered online survey in Qualtrics and collected data from 6 January 2017, to 6 February 2017. Correlation analysis is used to address the research aim and used the P value of 0.05 to determine the significance of the results. There were significant correlations among depressive cognitions and resourcefulness, life satisfaction, and quality of life; there were also significant correlations between PPF and life satisfaction, as well as among resourcefulness, quality of life, and life satisfaction. The results of this study emphasized the importance of assessing depressive symptoms and PPF in mothers early in the postpartum period. The results may contribute to designing future intervention studies aimed toward decreasing the risk of mothers with PPF developing more serious depressive symptoms.

Mediating Role of Resourcefulness in the Relationship Between Illness Uncertainty and Poststroke Depression

Objectives

To examine the association between illness uncertainty, resourcefulness, and poststroke depression (PSD) and identifies whether stroke patients' resourcefulness plays a mediating role in the relationship between illness uncertainty and PSD.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2020 to April 2021. A convenience sample of 355 stroke patients was recruited. A general characteristic questionnaire, the Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale, the Resourcefulness Scale (RS), and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were used to obtain data. Descriptive analysis, Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, chi-squared test, hierarchical regression analyses, Pearson correlation analysis, and mediation analysis with the PROCESS macro were used to analyze the data.

Results

Illness uncertainty, resourcefulness, and PSD were significantly related to each other. Resourcefulness partially mediated the relationship between illness uncertainty and PSD.

Conclusion

Illness uncertainty and resourcefulness were significantly associated with PSD, and resourcefulness played a mediating role between illness uncertainty and PSD. Interventions designed to reduce illness uncertainty and enhance resourcefulness may contribute to the prevention and improvement of PSD.

Caregivers' Use of Personal and Social Resourcefulness: Differences by Care Recipient Condition

Although family caregivers who use both the personal and social resourcefulness skills have the best health outcomes, it is unknown whether their tendency toward personal or social resourcefulness varies by their care recipient's condition. This cross-sectional study of existing data from 234 caregivers of persons with various conditions examined five item pairs from the Resourcefulness Scale^© with responses capturing personal and social resourcefulness in relation to anxiety, anger, sadness, indecision, and financial distress. Caregivers were categorized by the recipient's condition (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, cancer, dementia, mental illness, Parkinson's disease, stroke, traumatic brain injury, other, or multiple conditions). Findings showed that across most groups, caregivers used both personal and social resourcefulness when angry, sad, or indecisive and personal resourcefulness when anxious or managing money. Caregivers of persons with cancer, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and mental illness differed. The findings provide a basis for future clinical trials across diverse caregiver groups.

Factors That Influence Women's Symptoms of Postpartum Depression After Discharge of Their Preterm Infants From the NICU

OBJECTIVE

To examine resourcefulness, perception of child vulnerability, and stress in relation to symptoms of postpartum depression (PPD) in women after discharge of their preterm infants from the NICU.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational study.

SETTING

An urban NICU follow-up clinic, a pediatric office in the northeastern United States, and an online NICU parent support group.

PARTICIPANTS

Seventy-four women who gave birth to preterm infants who were discharged home from the NICU.

METHODS

The participants completed a demographic data questionnaire, the Resourcefulness Scale, Child Vulnerability Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. I examined the relationships among these data using correlational analysis and hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

Perception of child vulnerability and stress were predictors of symptoms of PPD; these variables accounted for 9% (p = .001) and 18% (p < .001) of the variation in symptoms of PPD, respectively. Although resourcefulness initially predicted PPD, it was no longer significant when controlling for demographic variables in the final regression analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

These results supported previously reported findings on the effects of women's perceptions of their child's vulnerability and stress on symptoms of PPD. However, the findings are not consistent with those of previous research regarding the inverse relationship between resourcefulness and symptoms of PPD. Nurses can implement interventions for women regarding perceptions of child vulnerability and stress to decrease symptoms of PPD after their preterm infant's discharge from the NICU.

The influence of resourcefulness on the family functioning of young- and middle-aged lymphoma patients in China: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Lymphoma has become 1 of the 10 most common cancers with increased prevalence in young- and middle-aged adults in China. This poses a tremendous burden on patients and their families and brings great challenges to maintaining the balance of family functioning in young- and middle-aged patients.

OBJECTIVE

This cross-sectional study aimed to analyse the influence of resourcefulness on the family functioning of Chinese young- and middle-aged lymphoma patients.

METHODS

A total of 172 Chinese young- and middle-aged patients with lymphoma were recruited from the oncology departments of two tertiary hospitals in Zhengzhou, Henan, China. They were invited to complete a survey that included a demographic questionnaire, the Resourcefulness Scale and the Chinese Version Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scale II. Multiple linear regression was used to analyse the related factors for family functioning.

RESULTS

The multiple regression analysis revealed that the main influencing factors of family cohesion were resourcefulness (β = 0.338, 95% CI (0.072, 0.173)), spouse caregiver (β = 0.376, 95% CI (1.938, 10.395)), and cancer stage (β = -0.274, 95% CI (-3.219, -1.047)). Resourcefulness (β = 0.438, 95% CI (0.096, 0.181)), spouse caregiver (β = 0.340, 95% CI (1.348, 8.363)), and family per capita monthly income (β = 0.157, 95% CI (0.066, 2.243)) were the influencing factors of family adaptability.

CONCLUSIONS

Healthcare professionals and family scholars should value young- and middle-aged lymphoma patients' family functioning throughout the cancer treatment process, and family interventions should be designed by healthcare providers based on patients' resourcefulness. Moreover, healthcare providers need to pay attention to the risk factors of patients' family cohesion and adaptability, such as low family per capita monthly income, and consider employing corresponding measures to help them.

Resourcefulness Among Initial Ischemic Stroke Patients: A Longitudinal Study of 12 Months

Objective

To explore distinct longitudinal trajectories of resourcefulness among initial ischemic stroke patients from diagnosis to 12 months, and to identify whether sociodemographic factors, disease-related factors, self-efficacy, family function, and social support can predict patterns in the trajectories of resourcefulness.

Methods

A prospective longitudinal study was conducted. Initial ischemic stroke patients who met inclusion and exclusion criteria were followed up when still in hospital (Preparing for discharge, Baseline, T1), at 1 month (T2), at 3 months (T3), at 6 months (T4), at 9 months (T5) and 12 months (T6) (±1 week) after discharge. General information, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), Modified Rankin Scale (mRS), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), General Family Functioning Subscale (FAD-GF), and Social Support Rate Scale (SSRS) were used in T1. The Resourcefulness Scale© was evaluated at 6 time points. Growth mixture modeling was used to identify trajectory patterns of resourcefulness. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of resourcefulness trajectories.

Results

Three longitudinal trajectories of resourcefulness were identified and named as the high-stable class (38.9%, n=71), fluctuation class (41.2%, n=75), and low-stable class (19.9%, n=36), respectively. Dwelling areas (x2=6.805, P=0.009), education (x2=44.865, P=0.000), monthly income (x2=13.063, P=0.001), NIHSS scores (x2=44.730, P=0.000), mRS scores (x2=51.788, P=0.000), Hcy (x2=9.345, P=0.002), GSES (x2=56.933, P=0.000), FAD-GF (x2=41.305, P=0.000) and SSRS (x2=52.373, P=0.000) were found to be statistically significant for distinguishing between different resourcefulness trajectory patterns. Lower education (OR=0.404), higher NIHSS(OR=6.672) scores, and higher mRS(OR=21.418) scores were found to be risk factors for lower resourcefulness, whereas higher education(OR=0.404), GSES(OR=0.276), FAD-GF(OR=0.344), and SSRS(OR=0.358) scores were identified as protective factors enhancing resourcefulness.

Conclusion

This study obtained three patterns of trajectories and identified their predictive factors in initial ischemic stroke. The findings will assist health care professionals in identifying subgroups of patients and when they may be at risk of low resourcefulness and provide timely targeted intervention to promote resourcefulness.

[Resourcefulness Theory and Its Research and Application in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing]

Resourcefulness theory has been developed and applied for nearly four decades in the West and been recommended by scholars in Taiwan for almost two decades. Research into the concept and theory of resourcefulness has been conducted in the nursing profession, especially in psychiatric and mental health nursing, in Taiwan, making the country the earliest Chinese and Taiwanese culture to adopt and use this theory. The concept of resourcefulness was derived from psychology and refers to the ability to effectively use internal (personal) and external (social) resources. It thus covers the two dimensions of skills application (e.g., personal resourcefulness and social resourcefulness). Beyond applying the concept of resourcefulness in academia and in the clinical practice of psychology and nursing, an instrument, the Resourcefulness Scale, has also been developed to measure resourcefulness with robust reliability and validity. Resourcefulness has been studied and tested in different populations, including patients with mental illness, elderly, adolescents, caregivers, nurses, and others, and has been found to correlate with depressive symptoms, self-harm behaviors, work stress, care burden, adaptation functioning, recovery, and quality of life. Moreover, resourcefulness training based on theory of resourcefulness and quality of life has also been fully developed and tested. The evolution of resourcefulness theory may be expected to be rooted and developed broadly to benefit more populations. The scientific development of psychiatric and mental health nursing may be seen in another field.

Effects of resourcefulness on internet game addiction among college students: The mediating role of anxiety and the moderating role of gender

Introduction

The mechanism of internet game addiction is unclear. Whether anxiety mediates between resourcefulness and internet game addiction and whether gender affect its mediation role have not been studied previously.

Methods

A total of 4,889 college students from a college in southwest China were included in this study to complete the investigation, in which three questionnaires were used for evaluation.

Results

Pearson's correlation analysis indicated a remarkable negative correlation between resourcefulness with internet game addiction and anxiety, as well as a significant positive correlation between anxiety and this addiction. The structural equation model confirmed the mediation role of anxiety. The multi-group analysis confirmed the moderating role of gender in the mediation model.

Discussion

These findings have advanced the results of existing studies, indicating the buffering effect of resourcefulness on internet game addiction and revealing the potential mechanism of this relationship.

Implementing Resourcefulness Training© with Parent Caregivers of Children Dependent on Medical Technology During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned from a Randomized Controlled Trial

Parent caregivers of children requiring life-saving medical technology (e.g., mechanical ventilation) report higher levels of stress and poorer health than other caregivers, often neglecting health-promoting behaviors for themselves. This article describes an iterative implementation science strategy used to improve intervention delivery for a randomized controlled trial testing a telehealth, cognitive-behavioral resourcefulness intervention with this population during the COVID-19 pandemic. This process consisted of reflective team meetings and content analysis. Initial adjustments were made after content analysis of pilot study materials before intervention delivery including an intervention script, checklist, online daily log, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant texting option, training material access, and fidelity checks. In vivo adjustments were implemented in four areas: recruitment/engagement, participation and use of resources, in-person delivery, and virtual delivery. Our efforts to streamline intervention delivery were enhanced by incorporating an iterative implementation science strategy including analysis and adjustment of intervention delivery procedures to decrease participant burden and promote intervention adherence. Reflective team meetings and a collaborative, problem-solving approach to resolve the various barriers and challenges with the randomized controlled trial were integral components of intervention delivery. This study informs future intervention research by providing details of barriers faced, pragmatic adjustments made to intervention implementation, and lessons learned (NCT0410524; www.clinicaltrials.gov).

Resourcefulness revisited: Further psychometric evaluation of resourcefulness scale

Resourcefulness, a collection of problem-solving, coping, self-control and emotion regulation skills, has been shown to moderate health outcomes in various caregiver populations. Caregivers of children with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), report higher levels of stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms with poorer health-related quality of life. The current study replicated and extended psychometric research on the Resourcefulness Scale (RS) among caregivers of children with ASD (n = 287) and a comparison group of caregivers of non-affected children (n = 207). Results suggest acceptable internal consistency and construct validity when using the RS among caregivers of children with and without ASD. The RS demonstrated poor temporal stability over an average of 4 weeks (r = 0.087, p = 0.434). Caregivers of children with ASD report higher levels of general, social, and personal resourcefulness than non-affected caregivers. Findings validate the use of the RS within caregiving populations with implications for clinical use and future research in the development of interventions to enhance caregiver QoL.

Factors Influencing Grandparent Caregivers' Resilience

This study explored resilience in 16 grandparent caregivers (aged 52-75; 62.5% white, 31.3% Hispanic/Latino) previously categorized as resilient, competent, non-resilient, and vulnerable. Interviews covered social support, services, needs, relationships, and coping. Thematic analysis revealed four distinguishing themes: lack of informal support, presence of formal support, forced unemployment, and resourcefulness. Findings highlight challenges and resilience in grandparents caregiving, offering insights for intervention programs. Social work implications of this study and future research directions are discussed.

Acquiring Resourcefulness Skills: Formal Versus Informal Training

BACKGROUND

Although resourcefulness has been successfully taught during formal training programs, it can also be acquired informally through life experiences. Family caregivers have many opportunities for learning to be resourceful on their own and those who participate in research may acquire knowledge or skills that increase their resourcefulness. The effects of such differential experiences on the resourcefulness of family caregivers have not been examined over time.

OBJECTIVE

This study compared changes in resourcefulness over time in caregivers who received no intervention, an educational program, biofeedback, or Resourcefulness Training©.

METHODS

This longitudinal analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial involved 219 caregivers of persons with bipolar disorder who completed the Resourcefulness Scale© before no intervention, an educational program, biofeedback, or Resourcefulness Training, and at 6 and 12 months afterward. Differences across the groups were examined using RMANOVA. Patterns of mean scores including differences and linear trends in resourcefulness for the four groups were examined.

RESULTS

Overall, caregivers increased linearly in resourcefulness over time [F(1,215) = 4.836, P = .015]. Although each group showed improvement in resourcefulness, caregivers who received Resourcefulness Training showed the greatest improvement from baseline (estimated mean = 88.244, SE = 2.734) at both 6 months (estimated mean = 92.610, SE = 2.813, P = .026) and 12 months post-intervention (estimated mean = 95.049, SE = 2.752, P = .003).

CONCLUSIONS

Consistent with resourcefulness theory, the findings showed caregivers of persons with bipolar disorder became more resourceful over time with or without formal training. However, those who received Resourcefulness Training demonstrated resourcefulness skills sooner and to a greater extent, thereby providing the rationale for formal Resourcefulness Training programs.

Family Caregivers' Burden, Patients' Resourcefulness, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Colorectal Cancer

OBJECTIVES

To examine how family caregivers' burden and patients' resourcefulness influence each other and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with colorectal cancer.

SAMPLE & SETTING

This study was conducted in an outpatient clinic at a medical center in Taichung, Taiwan. A total of 84 patient-caregiver dyads were recruited, and 43 patients had advanced-stage cancer. Patients and their caregivers signed consent forms individually. Patients were aged 29-77 years, and caregivers were aged 22-75 years.

METHODS & VARIABLES

The theory of resourceful-ness and QOL guided this study. An F test and multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationships among demographic characteristics, family caregivers' burden, patients' resourcefulness, and patients' HRQOL.

RESULTS

Higher-resourcefulness patients tended to have caregivers with higher self-esteem and fewer health impacts. Caregivers with fewer impacts to health and finances and higher self-esteem were predictive of higher resourcefulness in patients. Higher patient resourcefulness, fewer caregiver disruptions to daily schedule and impacts to finances, and higher caregiver self-esteem were predictors of patients' HRQOL.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING

When developing and evaluating education programs about cognitive skills training for patients with cancer, nurses should take family caregivers' burden into consideration to support optimal patient outcomes and HRQOL.