The moderating role of resilience on caregiver stress and emotional distress during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic amplified psychological distress experienced by caregivers of individuals with chronic illnesses. This study examined the relationships among caregiver stress, resilience, and emotional distress (anxiety, depression, and anger) in caregivers during the pandemic. Using archival data from the COVID-19 Health and Mental Health Survey, analysis of responses from 252 adult caregivers in the United States revealed significant positive associations between caregiver stress and emotional distress. Specifically, greater caregiver stress strongly predicted elevated anxiety, depression, and anger. Contrary to expectations, resilience did not uniformly moderate these relationships. Although resilience moderated the relationship between caregiver stress and anger, it paradoxically amplified rather than mitigated stress-induced anger responses. No moderation effects of resilience were found for anxiety or depression. These findings indicate that resilience may function differently across emotional domains, suggesting a nuanced role in caregiving contexts characterized by prolonged, uncontrollable stressors. Consequently, interventions for caregivers should emphasize targeted strategies for managing anger and emotional dysregulation, in addition to promoting resilience. Further research is recommended to explore alternative mechanisms by which resilience affects caregiver psychological health during prolonged stress situations.