Physiological and affective responses to family caregiving in the natural setting in wives versus daughters

This study examined differences in hemodynamic responses to usual caregiving duties undertaken in the natural setting by caregiving wives versus daughters. Participants were 88 women (36 daughters, 52 wives), 50 years of age or older, caring for a relative with dementia. Participants underwent 2 standard laboratory challenges (1 physical and 1 emotional) and ambulatory monitoring in the natural setting. Although wives and daughters showed similar physiological responses to the laboratory challenges, daughters evidenced greater hemodynamic responses in the natural setting relative to wives when the care recipient was present (p < .02). The increases in hemodynamic responses were accompanied by increased negative interactions with the care recipient as well as other family members (p < .0009). The results add to the small body of research indicating that family caregiving may have negative acute effects on psychosocial and physiological responses in the natural setting, particularly in daughters.