title: Taking care of teenagers, taking care of me: Profiling parental caregiving burden and activity restriction in a sample of Australian parents.
abstract: The current study extends the Activity Restriction Model of Depressed Affect by exploring the relationship between parental caregiving burden, activity restriction, and depressive symptoms. It investigated the mediating role of restriction in three types of activities (daily routine, personal control, and social) in the relationship between parental caregiving burden and carer depression. Respondents (n = 203, Meanage= 45.45 years, standard deviation = 7.81, females = 84.7%) were parent carers of a young person with mental illness and based in Australia. They completed a set of measures assessing caregiving burden, participation in daily routine, personal control and social activities, and depressive symptoms. A multiple mediation analysis revealed that restriction of daily routine, personal control, and social activities indirectly mediated the relationship between parental caregiving burden and parent carers' symptoms of depression. A latent profile analysis suggested an optimal three-profile solution. As predicted, profile membership distinguished parent carers on depressive symptoms ranging from normal to severe levels based on participation in the specific activities. Our results suggest a typology of parent carers perceiving differential levels of caregiving burden and activity restriction. Strategies addressing these specific areas provide preventative and promotion measures to optimize carer mental health and well-being.
authors.affiliation: School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Navjot
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bhullar
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rickwood
authors.affiliation: School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Tegan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.affiliation: School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haridas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001315:Australia; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D012917:Social Adjustment; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: activity restriction; caregiving burden; carers of young people; depression; latent profile analysis