Abstract
Background: People in the early stages of dementia adjust to the illness through stages of awareness, coping, and evaluation. Studies have found that hope, social support, and self-esteem facilitate coping, adjustment, and adaptation in chronic illness. Objective: The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine the relationships between hope, social support, and self-esteem in individuals with early stage dementia. Methods: Data were obtained from 53 individuals with early stage dementia. The scores on the Herth Hope Index, Social Support Questionnaire Short-Form, and the State Self-Esteem Scale were analyzed using linear regression. Results: Hope was moderately associated with self-esteem (r =.49, p <.001). Hope accounted for 25% of the variance in self-esteem and was a key component in predicting self-esteem. No significant relationship was found between social support and self-esteem. Conclusion: Findings suggest that hope may be an important factor to help individuals manage potential threats to self-esteem in the experience of early stage dementia. Strategies to inspire hope and then enhance self-esteem are promising for individuals living with early stage dementia.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 214-224 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Dementia |
Volume | 17 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 1 2018 |
Keywords
- coping
- dementia
- hope
- self-concept
- social support
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Sociology and Political Science
- Social Sciences(all)