CAREGIVERS TO PEOPLE LIVING WITH DEMENTIA IN SINGAPORE: PROCESSES AND EXPERIENCES

ABSTRACT

THE CURRENT QUANTITATIVE STUDY AIMS TO UNDERSTAND/INVESTIGATE THE PERCEPTION OF MACAO SOCIETY TOWARDS COUPLE THERAPY AND THERAPISTS AND THE PERCEPTION OF MACAO'S PROFESSIONALS WORKING WITH COUPLES ABOUT COUPLE THERAPY SERVICES IN MACAO. GIVEN THE SMALL SAMPLE OF THIS STUDY OF PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK AS THERAPISTS FOR COUPLES IN MACAO, THIS INDICATES THAT THERE IS NOT A LARGE NUMBER OF THEM. THE RESULT OF THE RESEARCH INDICATES ALSO A GENERAL POSITIVE ATTITUDE OF PROFESSIONALS TOWARDS CLIENTS BUT ALSO INDICATES THAT COUPLE THERAPY NEEDS IMPROVEMENT.  THE SAMPLE USED TO MEASURE THE SOCIETY SHOWS THAT THE SOCIETY MANIFESTED MODERATE POSITIVE ATTITUDES TOWARD COUPLE THERAPY. HOWEVER, THE FINDINGS MAY REVEAL THAT THERE ARE STILL WEAK POINTS OF SOCIETAL KNOWLEDGE AND CONTACT FOR COUPLES THERAPY SERVICES.   THE OUTCOME MANIFESTED THAT MACAO HAS LIMITED LITERATURE ABOUT FAMILY AND COUPLE THERAPY WHICH MAY BE RELEVANT TO UNDERSTAND THE POOR KNOWLEDGE OF THE SOCIETY RELATED TO THIS FIELD.  THE CURRENT STUDY SUGGESTS THE ELABORATION OF FUTURE STUDIES ABOUT COUPLE THERAPY SERVICES AND ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF COUPLE THERAPY TO PROMOTE THERAPEUTIC SERVICE TO COUPLES AND ACADEMIC RESEARCHERS THAT PROMOTE GOVERNMENTAL SUPPORT TO OFFER PROFESSIONALS VALIDATION.