Which types of family caregivers are more prone to developing depression? Leveraging non-financial social support to mitigate depression

Abstract Family caregivers face stress, especially those facing financial burdens. Therefore, it is crucial to evaluate non-financial social support intervention’s effectiveness and identify demographic factors linked to higher caregiver depression risk. We attempted to investigate whether social support could protect caregivers from experiencing depression. We introduced non-financial social support by offering a range of workshops and activities to help reduce stress experienced by the caregivers. We recruited 462 informal family caregivers from a Hong Kong nonprofit organization. They completed the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and a demographic characteristics questionnaire before and after the intervention. The effectiveness of the intervention was analyzed with ANOVA on pre- and post-intervention BDI-II scores. The research findings suggested that the intervention effectively reduced family caregivers’ depression levels. The intervention was more effective for caregivers facing financial difficulties. Additionally, this study revealed that single-family caregivers are more susceptible to depression. This research validates the effectiveness of our intervention for family caregivers in preventing them from developing depression. Policymakers should subsidize social welfare organizations to offer more non-financial interventions and social support for caregivers within the community.