Resilience in caregivers predicts lower anxiety, depression, and anger mediated by lower stress during COVID-19

Caregivers experienced significant psychological strain during the COVID-19 pandemic, with increased reports of anxiety, depression, and anger. While resilience has been identified as a protective factor, the mechanisms through which it influences emotional outcomes remain unclear. This study explored whether caregiver stress mediates the relationship between resilience and emotional distress. To test a mediation model in which caregiver stress transmits the effects of resilience to emotional distress outcomes—specifically anxiety, depression, and anger. Data were drawn from a national archival survey of 1,920 participants. A subsample of 249 U.S.-based adult caregivers who provided data on resilience, stress, and emotional distress measures was analyzed. Resilience was assessed with the Brief Resilience Scale, caregiver stress with the Kingston Caregiver Stress Scale, and emotional distress with PROMIS short forms. Mediation analyses were conducted using Hayes’ PROCESS macro (Model 4), with gender, race, and healthcare occupation as covariates. Resilience significantly predicted lower caregiver stress (p < .001), and stress significantly predicted higher levels of anxiety, depression, and anger (p < .001). Indirect effects were significant in all three models, indicating that caregiver stress partially mediated the relationship between resilience and each emotional distress outcome (p < .001). Resilience appears to influence emotional well-being in caregivers not only directly, but also indirectly by shaping the subjective experience of stress. These findings suggest that interventions to support caregiver mental health should target both stress management and resilience-building.