Purpose: To examine the associations between social support, coping responses and depressive and grief symptoms in caregivers of people with traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Methods and procedures: A cross-sectional study of Spanish primary caregivers of individuals with TBI. The study included 223 caregivers (72.2% female and 26.9% male).
Main outcomes: Measures administered included the Family Needs Questionnaire, the Texas Revised Inventory of Grief, the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale and the Responses to Stress Questionnaire.
Results: A structural equation model indicated that secondary control coping (e.g. acceptance and positive thinking) was associated with less grief and depressive symptoms, whereas primary control coping (e.g. problem-solving and emotional expression) and disengagement were associated with more symptoms. Emotional and instrumental supports were directly associated with less depressive symptoms. In addition, emotional and professional supports were associated with symptoms through the use of primary control and disengagement coping.
Conclusions: These results indicate that future interventions with families should improve social networks of emotional, instrumental and professional support, as well as help caregivers to develop adaptive coping strategies, such as acceptance and positive thinking.