Caregivers' Sensitivity to Conflict:

Thirty female caregivers of elderly people living in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) volunteered to participate in the study. They were interviewed in-depth concerning their experience of caring. Their picture of caring suggests the existence of a conflict in the relationship between carer and care receiver and the caregivers' sensitivity to that conflict. This paper provides the background for and the results of using the vignette methodology to identify coping strategies among the 30 female caregivers. The caregivers' answers to the imaginary situations were found to be related to their real lief cases. In response to vignettes the caregivers exhibited a greater sensitivity to conflictual situations, felt less guilty about not fulfilling their caregiving responsibility, and reported reaching a breaking point after which they were not eager to continue. The vignette technique is introduced as a methodology for increasing insight into the issue of conflict in the caring relationship.