Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-lnqnp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-29T02:21:26.355Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Differences between Anglo-Celtic and Italian Caregivers of Dependent Elderly Persons: a Pilot Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 November 1997

GINO P. CARRAFA ,
CYNTHIA L. SCHULTZ  and
KOSMAS X. SMYRNIOS
GINO P. CARRAFA
Affiliation:
Psychologist Private Practice
CYNTHIA L. SCHULTZ
Affiliation:
School of Public Health, La Trobe University
KOSMAS X. SMYRNIOS
Affiliation:
Department of Accounting and Finance, Monash University
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper describes a preliminary investigation of differences in family caregiving in Australia. Forty-eight Italian-born family caregivers of dependent elderly persons were compared with 461 caregivers of Anglo-Celtic origin on measures reflecting psychological health and well-being, and on a range of socio-demographic variables. The latter had participated in the national Caring for Family Caregivers (CFC) group programme; the former are residents of the Melbourne metropolitan area. Statistical tests were conducted on measures which included the Affect Balance Scale (Bradburn and Noll 1969) and the Spielberger State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger et al. 1983) and its translation (Pedrabassi and Santinello 1989). Findings indicated that Italians reported experiencing significantly less trait anxiety than Anglo-Celtic caregivers. Furthermore, significantly more Italians used community supports, were employed full-time, had lower levels of education, and reported better levels of general health than Anglo-Celtics. Implications for research and practice are drawn.

Keywords

sex differencesItalian caregiverscomparative studyemotional wellbeing
Type
Research Article
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 17 , Issue 6 , November 1997 , pp. 699 - 712
Copyright
© 1997 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)