What characterizes adolescent young carers? A multigroup comparative study.
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| Title: | What characterizes adolescent young carers? A multigroup comparative study. |
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| Authors: | Pilato, Jade, Lamore, Kristopher, Vioulac, Christel, Jarrige, Eléonore, Dorard, Géraldine, Untas, Aurélie |
| Source: | Child: Care, Health & Development. Mar2024, Vol. 50 Issue 2, p1-10. 10p. |
| Subjects: | Chronic diseases & psychology, Self-evaluation, Language & languages, Mental health, Research funding, High school students, Questionnaires, Logistic regression analysis, Chi-squared test, Descriptive statistics, Quality of life, Psychology of caregivers, Extended families, Comparative studies, Sociodemographic factors, People with disabilities, Psychosocial factors, Caregiver attitudes, Adolescence |
| Abstract: | Context: To identify the characteristics of adolescent young carers (AYCs), studies in the literature have compared them with non‐AYCs, but without considering that in the latter group, some face the illness of a relative whereas others do not. Objectives: The aims of the study were (1) to identify the characteristics of AYCs as compared with adolescents who are not young carers but are facing the illness/disability of a relative, or adolescents not facing the illness/disability of a relative, and (2) to identify factors associated with being a carer within adolescents facing a relative illness. Methods: A total of 4000 high school students (grades 10–12, mainly aged 15–17 years, 568 identified as AYCs, 1200 as adolescents facing the illness/disability of a relative without being a carer and 2232 as adolescents not facing the illness/disability of a relative) completed a self‐reported questionnaire assessing sociodemographic characteristics, illness/disability in the family, caregiving activities (MACA‐YC18 and specific emotional support scale), quality of life (KIDSCREEN‐10) and mental health (GHQ‐12). Chi‐square tests, ANOVAs and logistic regressions were performed. Results: AYCs scored lower on the quality‐of‐life measure compared with adolescents not facing the illness/disability of a relative (p <.001) and had poorer mental health compared with adolescents facing the illness/disability of a relative without being a carer and adolescents not facing the illness/disability of a relative (p <.001). Logistic regressions showed that youth were more at risk to be an AYC when they were females (p <.001), when they had an extracurricular job (p <.001), spoke another language at home (p <.01), had siblings and were one of the oldest siblings (p <.001), and when the relative had a serious or chronic physical illness (p <.001) and lived with the youth (p <.001). Conclusions: These results highlight the importance of distinguishing AYCs, adolescents facing the illness/disability of a relative without being a carer and adolescents not facing the illness/disability of a relative to better describe AYCs, recognizing that as the level of care provided might change over time, adolescents facing the illness/disability of a relative without being a carer could become AYCs or inversely. The factors that emerged could be used by professionals to better identify AYCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | Context: To identify the characteristics of adolescent young carers (AYCs), studies in the literature have compared them with non‐AYCs, but without considering that in the latter group, some face the illness of a relative whereas others do not. Objectives: The aims of the study were (1) to identify the characteristics of AYCs as compared with adolescents who are not young carers but are facing the illness/disability of a relative, or adolescents not facing the illness/disability of a relative, and (2) to identify factors associated with being a carer within adolescents facing a relative illness. Methods: A total of 4000 high school students (grades 10–12, mainly aged 15–17 years, 568 identified as AYCs, 1200 as adolescents facing the illness/disability of a relative without being a carer and 2232 as adolescents not facing the illness/disability of a relative) completed a self‐reported questionnaire assessing sociodemographic characteristics, illness/disability in the family, caregiving activities (MACA‐YC18 and specific emotional support scale), quality of life (KIDSCREEN‐10) and mental health (GHQ‐12). Chi‐square tests, ANOVAs and logistic regressions were performed. Results: AYCs scored lower on the quality‐of‐life measure compared with adolescents not facing the illness/disability of a relative (p <.001) and had poorer mental health compared with adolescents facing the illness/disability of a relative without being a carer and adolescents not facing the illness/disability of a relative (p <.001). Logistic regressions showed that youth were more at risk to be an AYC when they were females (p <.001), when they had an extracurricular job (p <.001), spoke another language at home (p <.01), had siblings and were one of the oldest siblings (p <.001), and when the relative had a serious or chronic physical illness (p <.001) and lived with the youth (p <.001). Conclusions: These results highlight the importance of distinguishing AYCs, adolescents facing the illness/disability of a relative without being a carer and adolescents not facing the illness/disability of a relative to better describe AYCs, recognizing that as the level of care provided might change over time, adolescents facing the illness/disability of a relative without being a carer could become AYCs or inversely. The factors that emerged could be used by professionals to better identify AYCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 03051862 |
| DOI: | 10.1111/cch.13244 |
