# Individual differences in dementia spousal caregiver burden: A biobehavioral approach revision

> **NIH NIH R01** · RICE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $493,162

## Abstract

Abstract
The outbreak of SARS-Cov-2 virus has exasperated the vulnerability of dementia spousal caregivers, as well as
those with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias. SARS-Cov-2 is a highly contagious virus that can cause
severe respiratory problems and even death. Older adults and people of all ages with underlying comorbidities
are considered to be at “high-risk” for severe illness from COVID-19. During this pandemic, dementia spousal
caregivers are tasked with the burden of keeping their spouse safe from getting sick and even dying from COVID-
19, while simultaneously performing their typical caregiving responsibilities. The vast majority of dementia
spousal caregivers and their spouses with dementia are over sixty-five years of age, the age bracket that puts
people at most risk for COVID-19 disease complications and mortality. Social distancing guidelines make up a
large proportion of the current prevention recommendations; thus, loneliness and other negative emotions will
likely be frequent and more intense than usual. The proposed competitive revision builds upon the primary aims
of the parent grant (R01AG062690) by using attachment theory as an overarching theoretical framework to
understand dementia spousal caregiver risk and resilience in light of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19
disease). The proposed research directly addresses several objectives from the PA-18-935, NOT-AG-20-022.
Capitalizing on the dementia spousal caregivers who will take part in the parent study, we propose to collect
additional data for one week each month for three months. We will collect this data using ecological momentary
assessment methods, while passively assessing location, activity, autonomic activity, and sleep via smartphone
and smartwatch technology. We aim to understand how emotions, assessed in real-time in the natural
environment, affect the extent to which AD spousal caregivers adaptively navigate the challenges associated
COVID-19. We will also aim to determine how relatively stable individual difference patterns that originate from
people’s close relationship histories (i.e., attachment orientations) inform risk and resilience. As an exploratory
high risk/high reward aim, we will evaluate if dynamic risk prediction models and machine learning approaches
can incorporate passively collected information (i.e., location, heart rate, heart rate variability, activity, sleep) with
information that we learn from our primary aims, to yield a detailed and sophisticated understanding of real-world
dynamics that predict three critical COVID-19 specific outcomes: social distancing adherence, social distancing
self-efficacy, and caregiver self-efficacy. By understanding patterns of risk and resilience, intervention scientists
will be better able to identify at-risk AD spousal caregivers. The proposed research would advance our
understanding of how AD spousal caregivers can reduce illness exposure for themselves and those they care
for in perhaps the most...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10201213
- **Project number:** 3R01AG062690-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** RICE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Christopher Paul Fagundes
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $493,162
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2019-06-15 → 2024-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10201213

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10201213, Individual differences in dementia spousal caregiver burden: A biobehavioral approach revision (3R01AG062690-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10201213. Licensed CC0.

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