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Understanding Caregiver Strain and Related Constructs in Caregivers of Youth with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

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Abstract

Objectives

There is evidence to suggest the level of caregiver strain experienced by parents and other caregivers may have implications for engagement in their child’s mental health and education services. This is particularly important for caregivers of youth with emotional and behavioral disorders in special education, as these caregivers tend to be less involved than other caregivers. The purpose of this study was to understand caregiver strain and theoretically-related constructs in caregivers of youth with emotional and behavioral disorders.

Methods

The sample included 112 caregivers of youth receiving special education services for Emotional Disturbance (ED). Using structural equation modeling and the Modified Double ABCX Model as a theoretical framework, the relationships among caregiver strain, stressors, resources, and perceptions were examined.

Results

Consistent with findings from previous studies, results indicated that more problems with youth functioning were related to higher levels of caregiver strain. Resources were found to be positively related to both perceptions and caregiver strain. The strongest relationship was observed between caregiver perceptions and caregiver strain, with more negative perceptions associated with higher levels of caregiver strain.

Conclusions

Findings reveal the nature of the relationships among caregiver strain and related constructs, as well as the potential importance of perceptions as a target for interventions for families and youth. An understanding of caregiver strain as it relates to stressors, resources, and perceptions provides insight into how we might leverage these factors in order to increase caregiver engagement in services, ultimately improving outcomes for youth and their families.

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Funding

This study was supported in part by the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs (grant number H324C040040) and the Institute of Education Sciences (grant number R324A090049).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Behavioral and Community Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA

    Amy L. Green, Krista Kutash & Bruce Lubotsky Levin

  2. College of Education, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA

    John Ferron

  3. College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA

    Rita Debate

  4. Center for Health Equity Research, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA

    Julie Baldwin

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  1. Amy L. Green
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  2. Krista Kutash
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  3. John Ferron
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  4. Bruce Lubotsky Levin
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  6. Julie Baldwin
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Correspondence to Amy L. Green.

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All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the University of South Florida Institutional Review Board and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Green, A.L., Kutash, K., Ferron, J. et al. Understanding Caregiver Strain and Related Constructs in Caregivers of Youth with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. J Child Fam Stud 29, 761–772 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-019-01626-y

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