Korean J Occup Health Nurs.  2024 Feb;33(1):36-46. 10.5807/kjohn.2024.33.1.36.

Relationship between Caregiver’s Dementia Attitude and Care Behavior: The Mediating Effect of Compassion Competence

• Oh YJ
• Jun YH

• KMID: 2564384
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5807/kjohn.2024.33.1.36

Abstract

Purpose
This study aimed to investigate compassion competence and its mediating effects on the relationship between attitudes toward dementia and care behavior among caregivers of older adults with dementia in nursing homes.
Methods
211 participants were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Data were collected from February 1st to May 24th, 2023, through a structured questionnaire and analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis and the bootstrapping method.
Results
The mean score for care behavior was 3.67±0.97 (range 1~5). Caring behaviors were significantly associated with attitudes toward dementia (r=.76, p<.001) and compassion competence (r=.75, p<.001). Using Baron and Kenny’s approach and PROCESS Macro model 4, care behavior was directly affected by dementia attitude (β=.76, p<.001). Compassion competence (β=.66, p<.001) was directly affected by dementia attitude. The partial mediating effects of compassion competence (β=.47, p<.001, 95% confidence interval 0.10~0.23) on the impact of dementia attitude on care behavior was confirmed.
Conclusion
The results suggest that compassion competence should be considered when developing nursing interventions to enhance dementia-related attitudes and improve care behavior among caregivers of older adults with dementia.

Keyword

Dementia; Attitude; Caregivers; Mediation analysis