Browsing by Author "Brito, Laura"
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- Portuguese caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study of the grieving processPublication . Brito, Laura; Bernardo, Ana Cristina; Leite, Ângela; Pereira, M. GraçaThis study addresses the experiences of informal caregivers caring for elderly family members with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study includes a sample of eight informal caregivers who were evaluated through a semi-structured interview six months after the death of a loved one they cared for. A thematic content analysis was applied to the interviews and yielded two higher-order domains: (1) Experiencing the AD and the death of a family member and (2) The grieving process during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results provide valuable insights into family caregivers' experiences regarding the profound emotional impact of caregiving and grief during the COVID-19 pandemic. Caregivers maintain their identity even after loss, underscoring the enduring impact of caregiving. The identity as a caregiver impacted coping and grief responses, highlighting the need for tailored interventions.
- Psychological distress and family stress in Alzheimer’s caregivers: a forgiveness longitudinal mediation modelPublication . Brito, Laura; Leite, Ângela; Pereira, M. GraçaBackground: The present study examined how family stress, distress, and forgiveness influenced the quality of life (QoL) of family caregivers (FCs) of persons living with Alzheimer’s disease over time. Method: Using a longitudinal design, data were collected at baseline (T1), 6 months (T2), and 12 months (T3). Results: Family stress at T1 predicted family stress at T2, while forgiveness at T1 predicted family stress at T2. Forgiveness (T1 and T2) mediated the relationship between distress (T1) and mental QoL (T3). Additionally, forgiveness (T1 and T2), along with mental QoL (T3), were mediators between distress (T1) and physical QoL (T3). Multigroup analysis revealed that the effects of forgiveness on distress and QoL were moderated by disease severity, with stronger mediation effects in the moderate and severe groups. Conclusion: The study underscores the importance of early distress screening and forgiveness-based interventions to enhance both mental and physical QoL in FCs, particularly as the disease progresses.
- Risk assessment profiles for caregiver burden in family caregivers of persons living with Alzheimer’s diseasePublication . Brito, Laura; Cepa, Beatriz; Brito, Cláudia; Leite, Ângela; Pereira, M. GraçaAlzheimer’s disease (AD) places a profound global challenge, driven by its escalating prevalence and the multifaceted strain it places on individuals, families, and societies. Family caregivers (FCs), who are pivotal in supporting family members with AD, frequently endure substantial emotional, physical, and psychological demands. To better understand the determinants of family caregiving strain, this study employed machine learning (ML) to develop predictive models identifying factors that contribute to caregiver burden over time. Participants were evaluated across sociodemographic clinical, psychophysiological, and psychological domains at baseline (T1; N = 130), six months (T2; N = 114), and twelve months (T3; N = 92). Results revealed three distinct risk profiles, with the first focusing on T2 data, highlighting the importance of distress, forgiveness, age, and heart rate variability. The second profile integrated T1 and T2 data, emphasizing additional factors like family stress. The third profile combined T1 and T2 data with sociodemographic and clinical features, underscoring the importance of both assessment moments on distress at T2 and forgiveness at T1 and T2, as well as family stress at T1. By employing computational methods, this research uncovers nuanced patterns in caregiver burden that conventional statistical approaches might overlook. Key drivers include psychological factors (distress, forgiveness), physiological markers (heart rate variability), contextual stressors (familial dynamics, sociodemographic disparities). The insights revealed enable early identification of FCs at higher risk of burden, paving the way for personalized interventions. Such strategies are urgently needed as AD rates rise globally, underscoring the imperative to safeguard both patients and the caregivers who support them.