Emotional competence and depression in informal caregivers

This study analyses the relationship between emotional competencies, socio-cultural situation and depressive symptomatology for 211 family caregivers working with dependent relatives older than 65 years. This investigation used the Adult Emotional Development questionnaire reduced version (CDE-R; Pérez-Escoda, Bisquena, Filella & Soldevila, 2010), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II; Sanz, Vázquez & Perdigón, 2003), and a questionnaire developed to analyze the caregivers socio-familiar situation. Results indicate that the level of emotional competence was medium-low and 46.2% of the caregivers showed depressive symptomatology in addition to a negative significant relationship between both variables. Using logistic regression analysis, a model explaining the depressive symptomatology was identified containing 5 variables: time devoted to caregiving, home visits from care professionals, emotional regulation, life-skills and emotional independence. Development of emotional competence is proposed as a preventive intervention.