La mutualità nel caregiving: una revisione della letteratura Mutuality in caregiving: a literature review

Introduction: Mutuality, understood as a feeling of intimacy and positive relationship between caregiver and care receiver, is gaining an increasing interest in the scientific arena in the light of socio-demographic change and the increase in chronic degenerative diseases. The purpose of this article is to carry out a critical analysis of the literature on mutuality in order to identify predictors and outcomes. Method: A literature search was carried out the databases PubMed, CINAHL, PsycInfo, and ASSIA Sociological. Twenty (20) articles were selected. By analysing critically all articles, emerges that mutuality is a key variable in the process of care giving and in mental and physical health of both caregiver and care-receiver. In the caregiver, high levels of mutuality are associated with less stress, depression and burden to a better quality of life and self perceived health; in patients high mutua - lity is able to speed up the recovery from the disease, to reduce anxiety and depression and to improve the quality of life. Conclusion: Future studies aimed at the study of this variable also in the Italian population could be of support in develo - ping programs to improve quality of life of caregivers and care receiver. Keyword: mutuality, caregiver, carereceiver