Relationships between the psychological characteristics of youth with spinal cord injury and their primary caregivers

Abstract

Study design: Cross-sectional survey. Objectives: To describe anxiety and depression among caregivers of youth with spinal cord injury (SCI), examine predictors of caregiver psychological functioning and evaluate relationships between caregiver and child psychological outcomes. The protective factor of youth social relationships was also included to examine its impact on relationships between caregiver and child psychological functioning. Setting: Families received services at one of three pediatric specialty hospitals within a single hospital system in the United States. Methods: The study included English-speaking youth with SCI, aged between 7 and 17 years, who had been injured at least one year before, and their self-identified primary caregivers. Participants completed surveys assessing their anxiety, depression and youth's perceived social relationships. Results: The study included 203 youth with an average age of 12.70 years (s.d. ¼ 3.15), and among them 70% had paraplegia. Seventy-eight percent of caregivers were mothers, 14% fathers and 8% other family members. In all, 16 and 21% of caregivers scored in the range of moderate/severe anxiety and depression, respectively. Being female and having a child with mental health problems predicted caregiver anxiety and depression. In addition, having a child who was older at the time of injury predicted caregiver depression. Poor social relationships, having a caregiver with mental health problems and having a caregiver with less education predicted both child anxiety and depression. Conclusion: Caregiver sex, child age at injury and child mental health were related to caregiver outcomes; caregiver education, marital status and child age were not. Caregiver mental health and education and child social relationships predicted child outcomes. Neither injury level nor injury severity was related to caregiver or child outcomes.

It is a marathon rather than a sprint: an initial exploration of unmet needs and support preferences of caregivers of children with SCI

“…For instance, SCI caregiving has been associated with elevated depressive and anxiety symptoms, marital satisfaction, and QOL for the caregiver [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]. Further, the mental health of caregivers of youth with SCI has been found to predict child mental health, physical health, adjustment to disability, and QOL [3,15,20]. Among families with pediatric SCI, reciprocal relationships have been found between caregiver and child mental health [20], caregiver and youth post-injury post-traumatic stress disorder [14], and caregiver mental health and child healthrelated QOL (HRQOL) [21].…”

“…Further, the mental health of caregivers of youth with SCI has been found to predict child mental health, physical health, adjustment to disability, and QOL [3,15,20]. Among families with pediatric SCI, reciprocal relationships have been found between caregiver and child mental health [20], caregiver and youth post-injury post-traumatic stress disorder [14], and caregiver mental health and child healthrelated QOL (HRQOL) [21]. Research has also begun to explore skill sets (i.e., resources) that may mediate the relationship between stressors and outcomes.…”

Psychosocial Outcomes Among Youth with Spinal Cord Injury and Their Primary Caregivers

“…Caregiver functioning has been linked with the functioning of their children among youth with disabilities 34,35 and youth with SCI in particular. 36 In the current study, 76% of caregivers were mothers, 16% were fathers, and 66% were married. Fourteen percent of caregivers had less than a high school degree, 23% were high school graduates, 41% had some college, and 22% had completed college or beyond.…”

Psychosocial Outcomes of Children and Adolescents With Early-Onset Spinal Cord Injury and Those With Spina Bifida

“…Although the social and school Cronbach α levels fell short of the minimum reliability standard of 0.70, these scores are consistent with past research (they have been reported as low as 0.67 and 0.59), so the scales were retained for the present analyses. 13,22,23 These scales were therefore retained in the current analyses. 20,21 To describe and compare participation, children and adolescents ages 6 to 18 years completed the CAPE scale.…”