title: The Relationship Between Family Caregiving and the Mental Health of Emerging Young Adult Caregivers.
abstract: Caring for dependent relatives has become a normative challenge for families in the USA and throughout the world. The study objective was to examine the relationship of family caregiving responsibilities and the mental health and well-being of individuals, ages 18-24 years, referred to as emerging young adults. It was hypothesized that young adult caregivers with past and present responsibilities would report significantly more symptoms of depression and anxiety, have lower self-esteem, and use less adaptive coping styles than non-caregiving peers. The sample consisted of 353 undergraduates (81 past caregivers, 76 current/past caregivers, and 196 non-caregivers). Caregivers were also evaluated in terms of care recipients, duration of caregiving, tasks, and hours of effort. Caregivers had significantly higher levels of symptoms of depression and anxiety than non-caregivers. Research to clarify how caregiving interacts with other stressors in emerging young adults and influences behavioral health should be a priority.
authors.affiliation: College of Education, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Greene
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Family Studies, MHC 2406, College of Behavioral and Community Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA. cohen@usf.edu.
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: American Association of Caregiving Youth, 1515 N. Federal Highway, # 218, Boca Raton, FL, 33432, USA.
authors.forename: Constance
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Siskowski
authors.affiliation: James A. Haley Veterans Medical Center, HSR&D Center of Innovation on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (CINDRR), 8900 Grand Oak Circle, Tampa, FL, 33637, USA.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Toyinbo
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D012649:Self Concept; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Behavioral Health; Behavioral Health Service; Care Recipient; Coping Style; Family Caregiving