Predicting Caregiver Strain to Improve Supports for the Caregivers of Children With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Abstract

Caregivers of children/youth with emotional and behavioral disorders often can experience significant strain associated with the day-to-day care of their children, and reducing strain can bring tremendous advantages to children, caregivers, and families. This study examines several predictors of caregiver strain hypothesized to be related to caring for children with emotional and behavioral disorders. Specifically, children’s symptoms, child and caregiver demographics, caregiver mental health, and caregiver relationship to child were examined to better understand both objective and subjective strain among a sample of families participating in a system of care in southeast Indiana. Regression analyses demonstrated that children’s externalizing symptoms are the strongest predictor for both objective strain and subjective strain. Moreover, caregivers who had experienced mental health issues reported higher levels of subjective externalized strain; biological parents tend to experience higher subjective internalized strain than other relative caregivers do. Implications for practitioners, caregivers, and future research are also discussed.