Table 5 Variables of interest, approach to analysis, and main findings of included studies
Author, year | Variables of interest | General approach to analysis | Main findings |
|---|---|---|---|
Carona et al., 2014 [24] | Coping: behavourial disengagement (avoidant, emotion-focused strategy) QoL: overall QoL Caregiving complexity: caregiving burden measured | Structural equation modelling | (1) Caregiving burden directly and negatively predicted parents’ QoL (2) Behavioural disengagement directly and negatively predicted parents’ QoL (3) Caregiving burden had a significant indirect effect on parent’s QoL via behavioural disengagement coping. (4) Coping had a mediating role in the association between caregiving burden and quality of life. |
Dardas & Ahmad, 2015 [23] | Coping: eight sub scale measurements QoL: overall QoL | Bivariate and multivariable regression | (1) Escape avoidance and accepting responsibility coping strategies were significantly and inversely associated with QoL. (2) Accepting responsibility was found to mediate the association between stress and QoL. (3) Escape avoidance and seeking social support were found to moderate the relationship between stress and QoL. |
Grey et al., 2011 [63] | Coping: issues in coping measurement (higher score = coping is more upsetting and difficult) QoL: Disease impact on general life satisfaction (higher score = greater negative impact) | Correlation | (1) While controlling for baseline coping, change in coping at 3 months was not significantly correlated with change in quality of life at 3, 6, or 12 months. |
Guillamon et al., 2013 [48] | Coping: sub scale measurements of integration, social support, and understanding QoL: sub scale measurements of physical, social relationships, environment (considered QoL), and mental health, BDI, and STAI-Trait (considered to be mental health). Caregiving complexity: self-efficacy measured | Multivariable regression | (1) Coping strategies did not significantly predict any quality of life or mental health indicators. (2) Caregiving self-efficacy was a significant, positive predictor of the quality of life environment and mental health sub scales, and significantly predicted caregiver anxiety. |
Hamama-Raz & Hamama, 2015 [60] | Coping: flexibility measurement QoL: sub scale measurements (physical, psychological, social, and functional) as well as overall QoL (higher score = lower QoL) | Correlation and multivariable regression | (1) Flexibility coping was significantly and inversely correlated with each QoL sub scale as well as overall QoL. (2) Flexibility coping was significantly and negatively associated with psychological, functional, and overall QoL (i.e., greater use of flexibility coping was associated with a decreased negative effect of QoL). |
Khanna et al., 2011 [52] | Coping: adaptive and maladaptive sub scale measurements QoL: physical and psychological sub scale measurements Caregiving complexity: caregiving burden measured Disease severity: care recipient functional status | Multivariable regression and structural equation modelling | (1) Care recipient functional status, maladaptive coping, and caregiver burden were significantly and negatively associated with psychological QoL. (2) Maladaptive coping had a direct negative effect on psychological QoL. (3) Adaptive and maladaptive coping had a direct positive effect on caregiver burden which in turn had a direct negative effect on psychological QoL. |
Khanna et al., 2013 [59] | Coping: adaptive and maladaptive sub scale measurements QoL: overall health-related QoL Caregiving complexity: three sub scale measurements- objective strain, subjective internalized strain, and subjective externalized strain Disease severity: parent-reported measurement of social interaction, communication, and restricted and repetitive behavior (overall score given) | Correlation and multivariable regression | (1) Objective and subjective internalized strain were significantly and inversely correlated with QoL. (2) Maladaptive coping was significantly and inversely correlated with QoL. (3) Objective strain was a significantly and negatively associated with QoL. |
Motaharian et al., 2015 [53] | Coping: three sub scale measurements given (problem-, emotion-, and avoidance-oriented) QoL: overall QoL | Correlation and multivariable regression | (1) Emotion- and avoidance-oriented coping was significantly and inversely correlated with QoL. (2) Emotion- and avoidance-oriented coping were significantly and negatively associated with QoL in the regression model. |
Raina et al., 2005 [54] | Coping: stress management QoL: sub scale measurements of physical and psychological QoL Caregiving complexity: caregiving demand | Structural equation modelling | (1) Stress management (coping) had a direct positive effect on caregiver psychological health. (2) Caregiving demand was directly and positively associated with physical and psychological health QoL of caregivers (greater score = less demand). |
Streisand et al., 2010 [57] | Coping: single item, respondents asked how well they felt they were coping with the day-to-day demands of parenthood and raising children. QoL: Parent physical and psychological well-being measured using single item. | Bivariate associations and multivariable regression | (1) Coping was significantly associated with psychological and physical QoL in bivariate and multivariate models. |
Tseng et al., 2016 [49] | Coping: three sub scale measurements given QoL: sub scale measurements of physical, psychological, social relationships, and environment Caregiving complexity: factor analysis of items from two sub scales of the Chinese version of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability and Inventory (measuring Functional Skills and Caregiver Assistance) Disease severity: scales that measured gross motor impairment severity and fine motor impairment severity | Multivariable regression | (1) Greater use of avoidance-oriented coping positively associated with all QoL domains; perceived helpfulness or use of cognitive appraisal-oriented coping associated with higher psychological and social QoL, respectively; perceived helpfulness of task-oriented coping associated with higher environment QoL (2) Degree of child fine motor impairment associated with physical, social, and environment domains of QoL but not with psychological QoL (3) Caregiving complexity (functional skills and need for caregiver assistance) not included in final (stepwise) multivariable models |