ALZHEIMER'S CAREGIVERS RATING OF COMMUNICATION AND COPING BEHAVIOR

本子项目是利用由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源的众多研究子项目之一。子项目和研究者（PI）可能已经从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金，因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。列出的机构是中心的，不一定是研究者的机构。沟通问题是阿尔茨海默病（AD）患者及其照顾者面临的最困难的问题之一。对于阿尔茨海默病的照顾者和接受照顾者来说，它会增加压力、死亡率和降低生活质量。尽管关于照顾者负担和应对的文献很多，但关于阿尔茨海默病患者如何应对，特别是如何应对沟通问题的研究却很少。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承认应对行为，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名为交际应对行为检查表（CCBC）的新工具来检查AD患者的这些行为。该清单将测量70对由正常夫妇、AD患者及其照顾者组成的夫妻的沟通应对行为的频率和有效性。在本研究中，照顾者或有知识的举报人每隔两周观察和评价沟通应对行为，两年两次。本研究项目的长期目标是识别和突出AD交际应对行为，并最终通过认知和康复来改善AD照顾者和照顾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.