Empowering Dementia Care Partners: How Self-Efficacy Influences Anxiety and Depression

Care partners often struggle with confidence in managing their own health. The mediating effect of self-efficacy on a care partner's mental health and social loneliness was explored. Standardized measures assessed loneliness, care partner self-efficacy, depression, and anxiety. Participants included 95 care partners who completed a survey measuring anxiety, depression, loneliness, and self-efficacy. Direct effects in the first mediation model were significant for loneliness on self-efficacy; self-efficacy on anxiety; and loneliness on anxiety. The indirect mediation effect of loneliness on anxiety through self-efficacy was significant. Direct effects in the second mediation model were significant for loneliness on self-efficacy; self-efficacy on depression; and loneliness on depression. Indirect mediation effects of loneliness on depression through self-efficacy were significant. Findings showed self-efficacy's buffering function on depression and anxiety. The current study underscores the need to educate and train providers on the importance of ADRD care partner self-efficacy when addressing their mental health and isolation.