Abstract：
OBJECTIVE: This study explores the process through which informal caregivers, particularly spouses, construct their identity within the context of caregiving for individuals with dementia. Despite extensive research in psychology aimed at defining caregiving (e.g. tasks, consequences), few informal caregivers identify themselves as such. For instance, the affective bond shared between caregivers and care-recipients often imbues caregiving responsibilities with a sense of \"naturalness,\" especially if the care-recipient is a spouse.
METHODS: To investigate the nature of caregiver identity construction, eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with spouse caregivers of dementia patients. The collected data underwent interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA).
RESULTS: Three interconnected themes emerged from the analysis: (1) Perceiving changes in my partner, which involves recognising alterations in the care-receiver\'s characteristics due to dementia; (2) Processing changes, encompassing the experience of grieving losses and reminiscing about the past; and (3) Perceiving changes in myself, referring to the acknowledgement of personal changes due to caregiving.
CONCLUSIONS: The study emphasises the dynamic and ongoing nature of caregiver identity construction, which begins with the early recognition of changes in the care-receiver. Interestingly, spouse caregivers oscillate between their identity as a spouse and caregiver, influenced by how they process changes undergone by their partner. Contrasting with previous theories on caregivers\' identity, our results focus of caregivers\' perceptions rather than their relationship with the care-recipient or caregiving tasks.
METHODS: To investigate the nature of caregiver identity construction, eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with spouse caregivers of dementia patients. The collected data underwent interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA).
RESULTS: Three interconnected themes emerged from the analysis: (1) Perceiving changes in my partner, which involves recognising alterations in the care-receiver\'s characteristics due to dementia; (2) Processing changes, encompassing the experience of grieving losses and reminiscing about the past; and (3) Perceiving changes in myself, referring to the acknowledgement of personal changes due to caregiving.
CONCLUSIONS: The study emphasises the dynamic and ongoing nature of caregiver identity construction, which begins with the early recognition of changes in the care-receiver. Interestingly, spouse caregivers oscillate between their identity as a spouse and caregiver, influenced by how they process changes undergone by their partner. Contrasting with previous theories on caregivers\' identity, our results focus of caregivers\' perceptions rather than their relationship with the care-recipient or caregiving tasks.
摘要：
目的：本研究探讨了非正式护理人员的过程，尤其是配偶,在照顾痴呆症患者的背景下构建他们的身份。尽管在心理学上进行了广泛的研究，旨在定义护理(例如任务，后果)，很少有非正式的照顾者认同自己是这样的。例如,照顾者和照顾者之间的情感纽带通常会赋予照顾责任以“自然感”，“特别是如果照顾者是配偶。
方法：为了调查照顾者身份建构的性质，对痴呆症患者的配偶照顾者进行了8次半结构化访谈.收集的数据进行了解释现象学分析(IPA)。
结果：分析中出现了三个相互关联的主题：（1）感知我的伴侣的变化，这包括识别由于痴呆症导致的护理接受者特征的改变；(2)处理变化，包含悲伤的损失和回忆过去的经历；(3)感知自己的变化，指的是承认由于护理引起的个人变化。
结论：该研究强调了照顾者身份建构的动态和持续性质，这始于早期认识到护理接受者的变化。有趣的是,配偶照顾者在他们作为配偶和照顾者的身份之间摇摆不定，受他们如何处理伴侣所经历的变化的影响。与以前关于照顾者身份的理论相反，我们的研究结果集中于护理人员的感知,而不是他们与护理接受者或护理任务的关系.
方法：为了调查照顾者身份建构的性质，对痴呆症患者的配偶照顾者进行了8次半结构化访谈.收集的数据进行了解释现象学分析(IPA)。
结果：分析中出现了三个相互关联的主题：（1）感知我的伴侣的变化，这包括识别由于痴呆症导致的护理接受者特征的改变；(2)处理变化，包含悲伤的损失和回忆过去的经历；(3)感知自己的变化，指的是承认由于护理引起的个人变化。
结论：该研究强调了照顾者身份建构的动态和持续性质，这始于早期认识到护理接受者的变化。有趣的是,配偶照顾者在他们作为配偶和照顾者的身份之间摇摆不定，受他们如何处理伴侣所经历的变化的影响。与以前关于照顾者身份的理论相反，我们的研究结果集中于护理人员的感知,而不是他们与护理接受者或护理任务的关系.
