ALZHEIMER'S CAREGIVERS RATING OF COMMUNICATION AND COPING BEHAVIOR

该子项目是利用 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源。子项目和 研究者（PI）可能从另一个NIH来源获得主要资金， 因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。列出的机构是 研究中心，而研究中心不一定是研究者所在的机构。 沟通问题是阿尔茨海默病（AD）患者及其护理人员面临的最困难的问题之一。 它有助于增加压力，死亡率，并降低生活质量的AD照顾者和照顾者。尽管有大量的文献照顾者的负担和应对，很少有研究已经做了AD患者如何科普一般，特别是他们如何科普沟通问题。 文献表明，随着认知障碍的进展，AD患者对应对策略的需求增加。目前的认知测试既不寻找也不相信应对行为，因此可能会错过功能行为的重要标志。 因此，我们建议通过开发一种新的工具，称为沟通应对行为检查表（CCBC）的AD患者的这些行为。 建议的检查表将测量沟通应对行为的频率和有效性，由70对正常夫妇或AD患者及其照顾者组成。 在这项研究中，照顾者或知识渊博的知情人将观察和评估沟通应对行为，为期两周，两年内两次。 本研究计划的长期目标是识别和突出AD的沟通应对行为，并最终通过意识和康复来改善AD护理人员和护理接受者的沟通和生活质量。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Communication problems are one of the most difficult issues faced by people with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and their caregivers. It contributes to increased stress, mortality, and decreased quality of life for both AD caregivers and care-receivers. Despite a large literature on caregiver burden and coping, little research has been done on how people with AD cope in general and in particular how they cope with communication problems. The literature suggests that as cognitive impairment progresses, the need for coping strategies by the person with AD increases. Current cognitive tests neither look for nor give credit to coping behaviors and thus may miss important signs of functional behavior. Thus we propose to examine these behaviors of persons with AD by developing a new instrument called the Communicative Coping Behavior Checklist (CCBC). The proposed checklist will measure the frequency and effectiveness of communicative coping behaviors as rated by 70 couples comprised of normal or persons with AD and their caregivers. For this study, the caregivers or knowledgeable informants will observe and rate communicative coping behaviors for a two week interval, twice in two years. The long-term goal of this research program is to identify and highlight AD communicative coping behaviors and ultimately to improve communication and the quality of life of AD caregivers and care-receivers through awareness and rehabilitation.