# Style and Substance: Characterizing Dementia Caregiving Styles and Associated Biopsychosocial and Health Services Utilization Outcomes

> **NIH NIH K01** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2020 · $21,315

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
The physical and emotional toll faced by the approximately 15 million Americans serving as family caregivers
for persons living with dementia (PWDs) is well-established, and the challenges posed by care provision during
COVID-19 related distancing and shelter-in-place orders likely intensify experienced burdens. The NIA-funded
parent K01, “Style and Substance: Characterizing Dementia Caregiving Styles and Associate Biopsychosocial
and Health Services Utilization Outcomes” (K01AG056557, PI: Amanda Leggett), characterizes distinctions in
how various caregiving styles react to internal care challenges (i.e. behavioral and psychological symptoms of
dementia, activities of daily living, etc.). This administrative supplement builds off that parent K01 by examining
how various defined caregiving styles cope and manage differently in the face of a global pandemic (COVID-
19) and associated shelter-in-place orders. To better understand care styles at higher risk for negative care
outcomes and facets of care styles that may be targeted and modified in future caregiving interventions, this
supplement aims to 1) Identify the association between external COVID-19 care challenges (pandemic-related
stress, social distancing, and shelter-in-place regulations) on caregiver distress and well-being; 2) Characterize
how identified cognitive-behavioral care styles uniquely perceive and behaviorally manage care in the face of
COVID-19 care challenges; 2a) Explore caregiving styles as a moderator between COVID-19 related external
care challenges and outcomes (care-related distress, well-being, informal and formal support seeking, and
healthcare utilization), and 3) Delineate caregiver’s perceptions of barriers and facilitators to care during
COVID-19 and what services and supports they would have found beneficial to pinpoint targets for social
distancing relevant caregiving interventions. To accomplish these aims we will conduct in-depth mixed-
methods interviews with 100 primary family caregivers for PWDs (as many as possible from our original
sample with refill recruitment to maintain a total sample of 100 participants). All participant contact will be
conducted virtually by phone, web-based survey, and videoconferencing methods. This work extends the
career development of the PI by expanding the caregiving styles model to incorporate cognitive-behavioral
care management across typical care and pandemic care contexts and offering additional training related to a
major public health concern which has critical implications for PWDs and their caregivers. Moving forward,
insight from this research can inform us on how caregiving styles respond to internal and external stressors
allowing for the development of more efficient and effective caregiver-focused interventions tailored to the
individual’s caregiving style.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10180489
- **Project number:** 3K01AG056557-04S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** Amanda Noel Leggett
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $21,315
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2017-08-01 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10180489

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10180489, Style and Substance: Characterizing Dementia Caregiving Styles and Associated Biopsychosocial and Health Services Utilization Outcomes (3K01AG056557-04S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10180489. Licensed CC0.

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