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Journal of Applied Gerontology, Vol. 26, No. 1, 58-77 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0733464806296144
© 2007 Southern Gerontological Society

Relationships Among Caregivers' Demographic Characteristics, Social Support Ratings, and Expectations of Computer-Mediated Support Groups

Kathleen A. Smyth

Julia H. Rose

McKee J. McClendon

Marcie A. Lambrix

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

Computer-mediated support groups (CMSG) for family caregivers are proliferating; however, actual social support needs of potential CMSG users and their expectations regarding CMSG use have not been studied. The authors used path analysis to investigate how the responses of 118 family caregivers to scales measuring the importance to them of four dimensions of social support (CASS-I), their expectations regarding three dimensions of CMSG technology (CATS-E) and their demographic characteristics were interrelated. Caregiver gender and race were related to two of four CASS-I scores; caregiver education, gender, and race were directly related to two of the three CATS-E scores; and gender and race also were indirectly related to two of three CATS-E scores through their impact on CASS-I scores. Results suggest that CASS-I and CATSE assessments might be helpful in customizing CMSG to meet particular subgroup needs, in understanding and influencing patterns of CMSG use, and in evaluating impacts of CMSG use.

Key Words: computers • caregivers • social support


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