Interpersonal Linkage in Positive and Negative Emotional Behaviors, Emotional Well-Being, and Physical Functioning in Dementia Caregivers

Caring for a person with dementia (PWD) can produce declines in caregivers’ emotional well-being and physical functioning, which could result from disruptions in the emotional linkage between PWDs and caregivers. We examined the effects of interpersonal linkage in emotional behaviors on emotional well-being and physical functioning in caregivers and control partners. Forty-five PWD–caregiver dyads and 12 control dyads had a 10-min unrehearsed conflict conversation in the laboratory. We quantified positive and negative emotional linkage as the covariation between objectively coded positive and negative emotional behaviors during the conversation. Caregivers and one partner in the control dyads completed questionnaires concerning their emotional well-being and physical functioning. We found that lower positive emotional linkage was associated with lower emotional well-being in caregivers and control partners. We did not find similar effects with negative emotional linkage or for physical functioning. We offer possible explanations for these findings and implications for assessing caregiver risk.