1059 The Hidden Toll of Care: Loneliness and Bad Dreams in Grandparent Caregivers

Abstract Introduction Evidence indicates a strong relationship between increased stress, loneliness, and worse sleep (bad dreams). Scant research has examined these relationships in grandparents caring for their grandchildren, although they report increased stress and loneliness and worse sleep than non-caregiving grandparents. Moreover, no research has examined bad dreams in grandparent caregivers or the relationship loneliness may have with stress and bad dreams in this population. We explored whether caregiving grandparents are more susceptible to experiencing bad dreams and heightened loneliness and if loneliness helps to explain the relationship between caregiving status and bad dreams. Methods Sample included individuals in the second wave of the 2009 MIDUS biomarkers project who answered the variables of interest and reported being responsible for the care of their grandchildren for at least 1 year (N=62, ageM=61.80, 64% female) or non-caregiving grandparents (N=424, ageM=62.98, 56.2% female). A t-test examined whether caregiving status (Y/N) was related to bad dream frequency (1-4) and loneliness frequency (1-5). Bootstrapping (SPSS PROCESS) examined whether loneliness mediated the relationship between caregiving status and bad dreams. Analyses controlled for age and gender. Results Grandparent caregivers (M=1.58, SD=.88) were more likely to have bad dreams compared to non-caregiving grandparents (M=1.36, SD=.71; t(484)=7.58, p=.029). Grandparent caregivers also reported more loneliness (M=1.81, SD=.91) than non-caregiving grandparents (M=1.38, SD=.69; t(484)=15.01, p<.001). Loneliness mediated (β =.05) the relation between caregiving status and bad dreams. Caregiving status was associated with greater loneliness (r=.20, p=.01) and greater loneliness was associated with increased bad dreams (r=.12, p=.01). Although caregiving status was associated with more bad dreams (r=.10, p=.03), the mediation direct effect between caregiving status and bad dreams was not significant. Conclusion These results suggest that loneliness may be a key psychosocial mechanism linking caregiving burden to bad dreams. Future research should expand on these findings by examining longitudinal trajectories of caregiving stress, loneliness, and bad dreams, as well as exploring potential moderating factors such as sex differences, caregiving intensity, and social support networks. Additionally, intervention studies targeting loneliness (e.g., community-based programs, peer support, or digital platforms) may help mitigate the psychosocial burden and improve sleep health in this population. Support (if any) National Institute on Aging (P01AG020166, R37AG027343)