Is Religiosity a Protective Factor for Mexican-American Filial Caregivers?

Using interview data collected from 47 Mexican-American families, this study explored whether two measures of religiosity—prayer and/or meditation, and participation in religious services—predicted caregiving outcomes in filial caregivers. Dependent variables included the perceived benefits derived from caregiving, and the subjective appraisal of caregiving as burdensome. Treated as covariates were caregiver age and income, care receiver co-residence, cultural orientation, the care receiver’s functional impairment, restrictions on the caregiver’s social activities, and the caregiver’s sense of mastery and competence in caregiving. Use of prayer and/or meditation was predictive of the perception that caregiving resulted in perceived benefits, and participating in religious services/meetings/activities was predictive of lower levels of subjective burden.