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Gepubliceerd in:

04-04-2018 | Original Paper

Effects of Benefit Finding, Social Support and Caregiving on Youth Adjustment in a Parental Illness Context

Auteurs: Kenneth Ian Pakenham, Stephen Cox

Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Child and Family Studies | Uitgave 8/2018

Abstract

Social support and benefit finding are two related processes that may protect youth from the adverse effects of caring for an ill parent. The primary purpose of this study was to test a mediational model proposal that benefit finding mediates the effects of social support and caregiving on youth adjustment in the context of parental illness. Given the dearth of research on benefit finding in the youth caregiving field, an additional aim was to further clarify the benefit finding construct in the parental illness context. A total of 428 Australian youth (mean age 12.77 years) who had a parent with a serious health problem completed a questionnaire. Exploration of the benefit finding construct showed that it was unidimensional, relevant to youth caregivers, unrelated to measured demographics, but highly linked to caregiving demands and engagement. Results from path modelling analysis supported the mediational model proposal that benefit finding mediates the effects of social support and caregiving on youth adjustment. While caregiving responsibilities in general has a detrimental effect on adjustment, a small counter-balancing indirect effect was detected via the role of increased benefit finding due to caregiving responsibilities. Most of the benefit finding research in youth has been conducted in the context of trauma, where parental support is a significant protective factor. This study makes an important contribution to understanding benefit finding and social support processes in the context of a chronic stressor where one of the usual sources (parents) of significant coping support is limited.

vorige artikel What Matters Most to the Left-Behind Children’s Life Satisfaction and School Engagement: Parent or Grandparent?

volgende artikel African American and Latina Adolescent Mothers’ and their Children’s Fathers’ Reports of Coparenting and Child Behavior Problems: Child Gender as a Moderator

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Titel: Effects of Benefit Finding, Social Support and Caregiving on Youth Adjustment in a Parental Illness Context
Auteurs: Kenneth Ian Pakenham
Stephen Cox
Publicatiedatum: 04-04-2018
Uitgeverij: Springer US
Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Child and Family Studies / Uitgave 8/2018
Print ISSN: 1062-1024
Elektronisch ISSN: 1573-2843
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-018-1088-2

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