Changes and predictors of resilience among wife and husband caregivers of patients with advanced cancer: A longitudinal study

Resilience as a dynamic process plays a significant role in caregivers' mental health. Little is known about gender differences in the resilience process and predictors of resilience in spousal caregivers. To investigate changes in resilience among wives and husbands of patients with advanced cancer over a 6-month posttreatment period, and identify different predictors of resilience between females and males. This longitudinal, observational study was conducted from January to December 2022. Spousal caregivers of patients with newly diagnosed advanced cancer were recruited from five regional tertiary hospitals in China. There were three assessment points at 1, 3, and 6 months post-initial treatment. The dependent variable was resilience, and five independent repeated variables were investigated. Totally, 179 wife caregivers and 133 husband caregivers were included. Resilience in both wife caregivers and husband caregivers increased over time (Wald χ2 = 29.83, p < 0.001) but husbands had higher levels of resilience than wives (Wald χ2 = 35.59, p < 0.001). However, there was no interaction between time and gender (Wald χ2 = 5.25, p > 0.05). Patient functional status, caregiver burden, social support, coping self-efficacy, and mutuality were predictors of resilience for wife caregivers. Meanwhile, patient functional status, caregiver burden and coping self-efficacy could predict resilience for husband caregivers. Healthcare providers may develop gender-specific interventions to promote resilience in spousal caregivers of patients with advanced cancer. This would improve mental health for caregivers in the process of palliative care.