The Mediating Role of Cognitive Flexibility in the Buffering Effect of Resilience against the Symptoms of Depression in Caregivers of Children with Intellectual Disability
Keywords:
Cognitive Flexibility, Resilience, Caregiver Burden, Person with Intellectual Disability, Caregivers, Anxiety, DepressionAbstract
Background: The prevalence of intellectual disability (ID) in India is significantly higher compared to the average global prevalence. Parents and family members are generally the primary caregivers for children with ID. Studies have found that caregivers experience significant burden and are vulnerable to psychiatric morbidity, including symptoms of anxiety and depression. It becomes important to understand if psychological factors viz., cognitive flexibility and resilience can buffer the negative impact of caregiving in this population and foster positive mental health. Method: The objective of this study was to explore the relationship among cognitive flexibility, resilience, caregiver burden and symptoms of depression and anxiety in parents of children with ID. It was conducted using a cross-sectional single-group research design. Data from 49 such caregivers, recruited through purposive sampling method, was collected using standardized self-report questionnaires. Results: Descriptive and inferential analyses of the data was done using SPSS version 28 with the significance level considered at 0.05. Cognitive flexibility, resilience, caregiver burden, and symptoms depression and anxiety, were significantly correlated among each other in parents of children with intellectual disability. Outcomes on these primary variables did not differ significantly by sex or family type. However, socioeconomic status was found to be positively correlated with cognitive flexibility, with higher household income being associated with greater flexibility. Furthermore, the child’s IQ was found to be negatively correlated with symptoms of depression, with milder deficits being related to less severe symptoms. Notably, the protective effect of resilience on symptoms of depression is partially mediated by cognitive flexibility. Conclusions: Thus, cognitive flexibility and resilience emerge as protective factors against the negative outcomes of caregiver burden and symptoms of depression and anxiety in parents of children with ID. Cognitive flexibility is a significant partial mediating factor in the effect of resilience on symptoms of depression (but not anxiety), shedding light on potential targets for interventions to support this vulnerable population engaged in long-term caregiving.
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