Objective: To investigate the relationship among vicarious traumatization, familial support, and caregiver burden in caregivers of quadriplegic patients.
Methodology: This cross-sectional study included caregivers of quadriplegic patients from different rehabilitation and care centers from February to July 2022. There were 150 subjects with a mean age of 44.27±9.06 years (range 25-67), with 67 men and 83 women. Measures of Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale, Familial Support Scale, and Caregiver Burden Scale were used. Data were analyzed using SPSS 23.
Results: Vicarious trauma was significantly negatively related with familial support and positively related with caregiver burden. In addition, familial support was negatively related with caregiver burden. Female caregivers living in a nuclear family system with longest duration of caregiving in the role of spouse and parents of the patients, expressed higher level of vicarious traumatization, lower perceptions of familial support and elevated experience of caregiver burden.
Conclusion: Vicarious traumatization was found to be strongly related to the caregiver burden in both men and women caregivers.
Key words: Vicarious traumatization, familial support, caregiver burden.
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