Habilidades sociais e estrategias de enfrentamento de estresse: relacao com indicadores de bem estar psicologico em cuidadores de idosos de alta dependencia
OBJECTIVE: In this paper, we verified the relationship between the use of social skills and coping strategies and measures of perceived psychological wellbeing among eldercare providers. METHOD: This is a descriptive, correlational study. Participants included 20 caregivers of elderly relatives with high dependency levels. During the interviews, the caregivers completed a Social Skills Inventory, a Coping Strategies Scale, a Caregiver Burden Interview and a Quality of Dyadic Relationship Scale. The relationship between the frequency of use of social skills and coping strategies and measures of perceived burden and quality of the dyadic relationship was examined using Spearman's bivariate correlation procedure. RESULTS: The caregivers who reported using particular social skills and coping strategies more often reported fewer conflicts with the elderly care recipient and lower perceptions of caregiver burden. CONCLUSION: This study on eldercare providers adds to the literature that demonstrates a positive relationship between social skills and coping strategies and indicators of better psychological wellbeing. Studies are needed to evaluate whether interventions that promote the acquisition or improvement of these social skills and coping strategies can help to improve the psychological wellbeing of eldercare providers.