Abstract
There is an increasing number of young caregivers in the United States. However, little research has been devoted to the identification and understanding of this phenomenon among Latinos. Young caregivers are children and adolescents, 18 years of age and younger, who provide significant assistance to relatives who need help due to physical limitation(s), mental illness, or other condition. The purposes of this study were to: (1) describe the demographic characteristics of Latino students who are involved in caregiving activities in terms of gender, main language spoken at home, and grade in school (6 through 12); (2) examine the extent of Latino students’ participation in caregiving; and (3) explore the effects of caregiving on the academic performance of Latino students in middle and high schools. Two thousand fifty three Latino students were included in the analyses. The results indicated that 55% of the students reported participating in caregiving activities. Boys, those whose families speak Spanish at home, and middle school students appeared to be more affected by the caregiving role. Implications for the mental health field are discussed underlining the impact of the dual role on these children’s lives.
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Diaz, N., Siskowski, C. & Connors, L. Latino Young Caregivers in the United States: Who are they and what are the Academic Implications of this Role?. Child Youth Care Forum 36, 131–140 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-007-9040-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-007-9040-4