Back to results

Virginia Tech

Relationship quality, commitment, and depression among caregivers

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

In this study I assessed a causal model between caregivers’ prior relationship to care-receivers, commitment to the relationship, and depression in parental and spousal caregiving, based on social exchange and commitment theory. Data (N=695) from the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH) were used to test a path model examining the effects of relationship quality and commitment, as well as ace, gender, income, education, health, living arrangement, emotional support, and adult children's marital¥ status on depression. This study began the process of combining the social psychological concept of commitment and the gerontological caregiving literature. The expected effects of commitment on depression were not statistically significant for either spousal caregiving or parental caregiving. As for spousal caregiving, caregivers’ health and relationship quality were negatively associated with caregivers’ depression. In parental caregiving, caregivers’ education and health had negative effects on caregivers' depression. The quality of the relationship with spouse or parent was notable for explaining commitment to the relationship. The predicted positive effect of relationship quality with parent on moral commitment was contradicted by a Statistically significant finding of a negative effect. Spousal caregivers’ structural commitment to marital relationship was positively affected by the quality of the relationship with spouse.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Ph. D.
Level thesis:degree_level
doctoral
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Family and Child Development
Department dc:contributor.department
Family and Child Development
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
1995

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Chee, Yeon Kyung
Chairs dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Mancini, Jay A.
  • Blieszner, Rosemary
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Calasanti, Toni M.
  • Keller, James F.
  • Sporakowski, Michael J.

Subjects

dc:subject × 2

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-06062008-162122
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/38164

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Chee, Yeon Kyung. Relationship quality, commitment, and depression among caregivers. doctoral thesis, Virginia Tech, 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/38164