Perceptions of early parent-child relationship quality among adult children caring for their parents living with early-stage cognitive impairment: associations with caregiving burden.

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies link early childhood and current parent-child relationship quality to caregiving burden in mid-to-late-stage dementia dyads. However, little is known about how midlife parent-child relationships affect caregiver burden in early-stage cognitive impairment. Using Parker's parental bonding framework, this study examined early and current relationship factors in mitigating caregiver burden in adult children.

METHOD: In a cross-sectional survey study, participants (n = 144 adult children of parents living with early-stage cognitive impairment) completed the Parental Bonding Inventory to assess "care" and "overprotection," which were combined to conceptualize "optimal parenting." The Perceived Partner Responsiveness Scale assessed perceived parental support, and the Zarit Burden Interview assessed caregiver burden.

RESULTS: Participants who identified more early care, less overprotection, and optimal parenting from their parents reported greater current perceived support from their parents, but not greater caregiving burden. Greater current perceived support, however, was associated with lower burden.

CONCLUSION: Supporting parental bonding theory, current greater parent-child relationship quality was associated with greater early parental relationship quality and lower burden. Surprisingly, early parent-child relationship quality was not associated with burden. Future research identifying factors that buffer caregiver burden, e.g. current perceived parental support, can inform targeted interventions to support midlife adults caring for parents living with early-stage cognitive impairment.