Introduction
Proposed Pathways From Benefit Finding
Caring Tasks as Moderating Factors
Measures of Benefit Finding in Young Carers: Boundaries and Opportunities
Current Study
Method
Participants and Procedures
Measures
Mental well-being
Benefit finding
Perceived helplessness
Subjective coping
Frequency of caring tasks
Analytical Strategy
Results
Measurement Model
Latent variables and corresponding observed indicators | Stand. Loadings | M | SD | S | K | α |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Benefit finding | 0.90 | |||||
Acceptance score | 0.83 | 2.54 | 0.78 | −0.40 | 0.14 | |
Family bonds score | 0.58 | 2.59 | 0.91 | −0.54 | −0.06 | |
Growth score | 0.85 | 2.54 | 0.81 | −0.57 | 0.12 | |
Relationships score | 0.80 | 2.64 | 0.81 | −0.59 | 0.32 | |
Empathy score | 0.64 | 2.65 | 0.81 | −0.50 | 0.08 | |
Reprioritization score | 0.86 | 2.44 | 0.79 | −0.31 | 0.06 | |
Perceived helplessness | 0.82 | |||||
PSS-10 Item 1: … upset because of something that happened unexpectedly? | 0.50 | 2.21 | 1.06 | −0.10 | −0.66 | |
PSS-10 Item 2: … felt that you were unable to control the important things in your life? | 0.75 | 2.23 | 1.15 | −0.20 | −0.77 | |
PSS-10 Item 3: … felt nervous and “stressed”? | 0.69 | 3.00 | 0.99 | −0.77 | −0.10 | |
PSS-10 Item 6: … found that you could not cope with all the things that you had to do? | 0.73 | 2.12 | 1.01 | −0.10 | −0.36 | |
PSS-10 Item 9: … been angered because of things that were outside your control? | 0.47 | 2.35 | 1.09 | −0.26 | −0.56 | |
PSS-10 Item 10: … felt difficulties were piling up so high that you could not overcome them? | 0.73 | 2.30 | 1.19 | −0.22 | −0.82 | |
Subjective coping | 0.83 | |||||
My way of dealing with stress is usually effective. | 0.90 | 2.03 | 1.12 | −0.06 | −0.69 | |
I am satisfied with how I cope with stress. | 0.78 | 2.09 | 1.08 | −0.15 | −0.49 | |
Mental well-being | 0.80 | |||||
SWEMWBS Item 1: … feeling optimistic about the future | 0.58 | 3.53 | 0.97 | −0.39 | −0.29 | |
SWEMWBS Item 2: … feeling useful | 0.68 | 3.60 | 0.92 | −0.56 | 0.02 | |
SWEMWBS Item 3: … feeling relaxed | 0.62 | 2.86 | 1.03 | 0.22 | −0.56 | |
SWEMWBS Item 4: … dealing with problems well | 0.66 | 3.45 | 0.97 | −0.47 | −0.12 | |
SWEMWBS Item 5: … thinking clearly | 0.65 | 3.44 | 0.99 | −0.25 | −0.52 | |
SWEMWBS Item 6: … feeling close to other people | 0.43 | 3.63 | 1.01 | −0.54 | −0.21 | |
SWEMWBS Item 7: … able to make up my own mind about things | 0.61 | 3.95 | 0.91 | −0.63 | 0.01 |
Variable | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. Benefit Finding | – | |||
2. Perceived Helplessness | 0.01 | – | ||
3. Subjective Coping | 0.36 | −0.40 | – | |
4. Mental Well-being | 0.46 | −0.61 | 0.54 | – |
Structural Model
Unst. estimate | SE | p | 95% CI | Stand. estimate | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Benefit finding to mental well-being | |||||
Total effect | 0.08 | 0.01 | <0.001 | 0.062, 0.104 | 0.46 |
Direct effect | 0.07 | 0.01 | <0.001 | 0.051, 0.093 | 0.40 |
Total indirect effects | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.130 | −0.003, 0.062 | 0.06 |
bf → coping → stress → mwb | 0.02 | 0.00 | <0.001 | 0.010, 0.025 | 0.09 |
bf → coping → mwb | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.005 | 0.004, 0.020 | 0.07 |
bf → stress → mwb | −0.02 | 0.01 | 0.006 | −0.030, −0.006 | −0.09 |
Coping to mental well-being | |||||
Total effect | 0.24 | 0.04 | <0.001 | 0.176, 0.316 | 0.43 |
Direct effect | 0.10 | 0.04 | 0.005 | 0.035, 0.177 | 0.18 |
Indirect effect | |||||
coping → stress → mwb | 0.14 | 0.03 | <0.001 | 0.096, 0.196 | 0.25 |
Stress to mental well-being | |||||
Direct effect | −0.57 | 0.08 | <0.001 | −0.743, −0.438 | −0.54 |
Multi-Group Analyses
Model | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Domestic/household care | Personal/intimate care | Social/emotional care | Instrumental care | |||||
Low (n = 247) | High (n = 354) | Low (n = 287) | High (n = 314) | Low (n = 232) | High (n = 369) | Low (n = 237) | High (n = 364) | |
Benefit finding to mental well-being | ||||||||
Total effect | 0.08*** | 0.08*** | 0.09*** | 0.08*** | 0.07*** | 0.09*** | 0.09*** | 0.08*** |
Direct effect | 0.06** | 0.08*** | 0.07*** | 0.08*** | 0.06*** | 0.08*** | 0.07*** | 0.07*** |
Total indirect effects | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.00 |
bf → coping → stress → mwb | 0.02** | 0.01** | 0.02** | 0.02*** | 0.01 | 0.02*** | 0.03** | 0.01** |
bf → coping → mwb | 0.01 | 0.01* | 0.01* | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01** |
bf → stress → mwb | −0.01 | −0.02* | −0.01 | −0.02** | −0.01 | −0.02* | −0.02 | −0.02* |
Coping to mental well-being | ||||||||
Total effect | 0.28*** | 0.21*** | 0.27*** | 0.20*** | 0.34*** | 0.18*** | 0.25*** | 0.23*** |
Direct effect | 0.11 | 0.09* | 0.13* | 0.07 | 0.19** | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.12** |
Indirect effect | ||||||||
coping → stress → mwb | 0.17*** | 0.12*** | 0.14*** | 0.13*** | 0.15*** | 0.13*** | 0.20*** | 0.10*** |
Stress to mental well-being | ||||||||
Direct effect | −0.63*** | −0.54*** | −0.54*** | −0.60*** | −0.63*** | −0.55*** | −0.59*** | −0.58*** |
R2 in mental well-being | 0.68 | 0.56 | 0.60 | 0.61 | 0.64 | 0.61 | 0.63 | 0.60 |
Dimensions of Benefit Finding
Model | χ2 | df | p | CFI | RMSEA (95% CI) | SRMR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Acceptance | 374.88 | 162 | <0.001 | 0.95 | 0.05 (0.04, 0.05) | 0.05 |
Family bonds | 366.14 | 144 | <0.001 | 0.94 | 0.05 (0.04, 0.06) | 0.06 |
Growth | 454.09 | 181 | <0.001 | 0.94 | 0.05 (0.04, 0.06) | 0.05 |
Relationships | 333.74 | 144 | <0.001 | 0.95 | 0.05 (0.04, 0.05) | 0.05 |
Empathy | 349.69 | 162 | <0.001 | 0.95 | 0.04 (0.04, 0.05) | 0.05 |
Reprioritization | 398.53 | 144 | <0.001 | 0.93 | 0.05 (0.05, 0.06) | 0.06 |
Model | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Acceptance | Family bonds | Growth | Relationships | Empathy | Reprioritization | |
Benefit finding to mental well-being | ||||||
Total effect | 0.33*** | 0.16*** | 0.39*** | 0.38*** | 0.12** | 0.39*** |
Direct effect | 0.27*** | 0.15*** | 0.29*** | 0.34*** | 0.17*** | 0.36*** |
Total indirect effects | 0.06 | 0.01 | 0.09** | 0.05 | −0.05 | 0.03 |
bf → coping → stress → mwb | 0.08*** | 0.02* | 0.07*** | 0.05** | 0.01 | 0.08** |
bf → coping → mwb | 0.05* | 0.03* | 0.05* | 0.06** | 0.02 | 0.06** |
bf → stress → mwb | −0.07** | −0.04 | −0.03 | −0.06* | −0.08** | −0.11** |
Coping to mental well-being | ||||||
Total effect | 0.23*** | 0.28*** | 0.21*** | 0.25*** | 0.28*** | 0.25*** |
Direct effect | 0.09* | 0.17** | 0.09* | 0.13*** | 0.17*** | 0.10** |
Indirect effect | ||||||
coping → stress → mwb | 0.14*** | 0.11*** | 0.12*** | 0.12*** | 0.12*** | 0.15*** |
Stress to mental well-being | ||||||
Direct effect | −0.56*** | −0.53*** | −0.53*** | −0.56*** | −0.56*** | −0.60*** |
R2 in mental well-being | 0.59 | 0.52 | 0.61 | 0.59 | 0.52 | 0.60 |