The association of stress-coping variables to quality of life among caregivers of individuals with traumatic brain injury

The purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which stress-coping variables contribute to quality of life (QOL) among caregivers of individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). This study examined the direct effects of the following variables: functional competency, caregiving appraisal, coping, perceived social support, and family needs on QOL. In addition, the unique variance accounted for in QOL by each set was investigated, and whether perceived social support, coping, and family needs mediate or moderate the relationship between caregiving appraisal and QOL. The sample consisted of 108 caregivers recruited from support groups who were predominantly white females. The majority of care-recipients had a severe head injury. Measures administered were the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List, Family Needs Questionnaire, Modified Caregiving Appraisal Scale, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life - Brief Version. Results showed that the full model accounted for 68% of the variance in QOL; caregiving appraisal, perceived social support and family needs remained significant after other stress-coping variables were partialled; and of these sets, emotional social support, social needs, and perceived burden were the significant individual predictors. Emotional social support and social needs mediated the relationship between perceived burden and QOL.