Aim
The study purpose was to explore the moderating effects of
work-related conditions and interactive family-care-giving
variables, including mutuality and preparedness, on caregiver
mental health and role strain. Caregiver mental health
and role strain were dependent variables and caregiver age,
gender, employment status, work flexibility, care-giving
demand, mutuality, preparedness, and work/care-giving
conflict were independent variables. Conflict between work
and family care-giving was selected as the potential moderating
variable due to its interactive nature between work
and family care-giving. To be specific, we were interested in
whether less work/care-giving conflict, better mutuality, and
better preparedness protected caregivers of elders with
dementia from adverse outcomes when care-giving demand
was high. We hypothesized that: (a) caregivers with little
conflict between work and care-giving, a good dyadic relationship,
and/or well prepared for the caregiver role would
experience low levels of role strain and better mental health
outcomes, even when care-giving demand was high; and (b)
caregivers with more work/care-giving conflict, a poorer
dyadic relationship, and poorer preparedness would experience
greater role strain and poorer mental health outcomes
with increasing care-giving demand.