variables (for example, caregiver’s social support or coping skills),
will cause them more or less distress (for example, depression or
stress). Most of the studies have analyzed how social support or
coping skills act as mediator variables between caregiving and
caregiver’s mental health. However, and although leisure time is
valued by almost all the caregivers (Bedini and Phoenix, 2004),
empirical studies analyzing how caregivers’ perception of their
free time or leisure impacts on caregiver’s health remain scarce,
despite the fact that having leisure time for resting or doing
exercise has been indicated as a potential mediator of the
association between caregiving and mortality (Schulz and Beach,