Table 2 The outcomes of interest at baseline (n = 58)

Mental health

0–63

16.16

11.08

15.43

10.71

16.93

11.61

0.510

0.612

‒ Stress

0–21

7.41

4.03

7.20

3.84

7.64

4.28

0.416

0.679

‒ Anxiety

0–21

3.90

3.57

3.93

3.89

3.86

3.27

− 0.080

0.936

‒ Depression

0–21

4.84

4.47

4.30

3.76

5.43

5.13

0.960

0.341

Caregiving appraisal

26–130

82.84

14.10

83.63

12.06

82

16.20

− 0.438

0.663

‒ Caregiving impact

5–25

14.26

3.50

14.20

3.31

14.32

3.75

0.131

0.896

‒ Caregiving mastery

4–20

13.91

2.46

14.23

2.24

13.57

2.67

-1.025

0.310

‒ Caregiving satisfaction

5–25

17.36

3.81

17.27

3.62

17.46

4.08

0.195

0.846

‒ Caregiving burden

12–60

36.17

8.53

35.67

7.42

36.71

9.69

0.464

0.644

Health-related quality of life

‒ Physical component scale

43.83

10.04

42.41

8.67

45.35

11.28

1.118

0.268

‒ Mental component scale

36.90

9.49

37.16

8.69

36.63

10.43

− 0.211

0.834

Psychological well-being

18–108

77.86

13.01

78.40

12.09

77.29

14.14

− 0.323

0.748

‒ Positive relations with others

3–18

12.97

2.80

13.10

3.26

12.82

2.26

− 0.375

0.709

‒ Autonomy

3–18

12.09

2.39

11.83

2.10

12.36

2.67

0.833

0.408

‒ Environmental mastery

3–18

13.43

2.67

13.70

2.41

13.14

2.94

− 0.792

0.432

‒ Personal growth

3–18

13.86

2.83

14.23

2.64

13.46

3.02

-1.034

0.305

‒ Purpose in life

3–18

12.79

2.76

12.87

2.80

12.71

2.77

− 0.208

0.836

‒ Self-acceptance

3–18

12.72

2.66

12.67

2.54

12.79

2.83

0.169

0.867