Social Class, Social Resources, and Caregiver Burden: A Multiple Serial Mediation in Unpaid Informal Female Caregivers of Older Relatives in Santiago, Chile

Abstract

This research explored the role of social class as a determinant of the caregiver burden, and the mediating of social resources (perceived and actual). Using a sample of women aged 35 to 65 years who are unpaid caregivers for older relatives in Santiago, Chile, conducting a serial mediation model with bootstrap. The caregiver burden was associated with social class (subjective indicator), perceived and actual resources. The mediation analysis found no direct or total effect but did find marginal effects of serial multiple mediation and a total indirect effect, showing a possible protective effect of perceived social class through the mediating variables perceived and actual resources.