• Lillian Flores Stevens, Paul B Perrin, Shaina Gulin, Heather L Rogers, Villaseñor CabreraTeresitaT, Miriam Jiménez-Maldonado, and Juan Carlos Arango-Lasprilla.
• From the Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia (LFS); Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond (PBP, SG); University of Deusto, Bilbao, Spain (HR, JCA-L); Department of Neurosciences, Guadalajara University, Guadalajara, Mexico (TVC, MJ-M); Hospital Civil Fray Antonio Alcalde, Guadalajara, Mexico (MJ-M); and IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain (JCA-L).
• Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2013 Nov 1; 92 (11): 959-67.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to examine the influence of three types of social support (appraisal, belonging, and tangible) on caregiver mental health (anxiety, burden, depression, and satisfaction with life) among Mexican caregivers of individuals with traumatic brain injury.DesignThis is a cross-sectional study of 90 family caregivers from Hospital Civil Fray Antonio Alcade in Guadalajara, Mexico.ResultsMore months spent caregiving was associated with decreases in all three types of social support. Older age and fewer years of education were associated with lower appraisal social support. More hours per week spent caregiving was associated with lower caregiver state anxiety and greater satisfaction with life. Appraisal, belonging, and tangible social support were all significantly correlated with more salubrious caregiver mental health outcomes, except satisfaction with life. Appraisal social support independently predicted lower caregiver depression.ConclusionsParticularly in Latin America, strong social support networks and family connections seem closely tied to key mental health outcomes such as depression. Rehabilitation interventions aimed at strengthening perceptions of social support of caregivers of individuals with traumatic brain injury that specifically target availability of advice may improve mental health and contribute to more optimal informal care for individuals with traumatic brain injury.

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