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Strain in Caregivers of Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders Receiving School-Based Services

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Abstract

This study provides a description of caregiver strain in a sample of caregivers of students with emotional and behavioral disorders receiving school-based services. Few studies have examined caregiver strain in school-based samples. Given poor outcomes for these youth, as well as the potentially influential role of caregiver strain in service use and engagement, understanding the caregiving experience in this population is important. The current study sought to: (1) examine the levels of the different types of caregiver strain reported by caregivers in the sample; (2) describe the level of the different types of caregiver strain reported by different groups of participants; and (3) examine the relationship between caregiver strain and various student and caregiver characteristics. This study is a secondary analysis of data collected from 243 students and their caregivers enrolled in one of two larger studies examining the effectiveness of a parent support intervention. Overall, results suggest that caregivers of students with emotional and behavioral disorders may experience strain as a result of their child’s problems that goes beyond usual daily life stressors. Internalized strain directed inward toward caregivers themselves appears to be of particular importance in this population. Conclusions and recommendations for future research are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported in part by the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs (Grant Number H324C040040) and the Institute of Education Sciences (Grant Number R324A090049).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Child and Family Studies, College of Behavioral and Community Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA

    Amy L. Green, Krista Kutash & Albert J. Duchnowski

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  1. Amy L. Green
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  2. Krista Kutash
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  3. Albert J. Duchnowski
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Correspondence to Amy L. Green.

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Green, A.L., Kutash, K. & Duchnowski, A.J. Strain in Caregivers of Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders Receiving School-Based Services. School Mental Health 8, 441–451 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-016-9193-0

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