The mediating effects of leisure engagement on relationships between caregiving stress and subjective wellbeing among family caregivers of persons with cognitive impairment: A cross-sectional study

Family caregivers of persons with cognitive impairment experience changes in reductions in leisure engagement, which can decrease their subjective wellbeing (leisure satisfaction, negative affect and positive affect). We recruited 100 dyads of patients with cognitive impairment and family caregivers by convenience sampling from outpatient memory clinics and daycare centers in northern Taiwan. Hierarchical regression analysis tested the mediating effects of leisure engagement on the relationship between caregiving stress and subjective wellbeing. Results indicated that the restorative experience of event/tourism activities (β = 0.23, p < .05) significantly mediated between caregiving stress and leisure satisfaction. In addition, the only significant mediator between caregiving stress and negative affect was leisure barriers (β = 0.21, p < .05). Both of the regression models explained 27% of the variance. Future development of leisure interventions should focus on reducing leisure barriers and providing event and tourism activities to the dyads.