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Physical and psychological health of family carers co‐residing with an adult relative with an intellectual disability
Author(s) -
Grey Jillian M.,
Totsika Vasiliki,
Hastings Richard P.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.056
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1468-3148
pISSN - 1360-2322
DOI - 10.1111/jar.12353
Subject(s) - helpfulness , psychology , intellectual disability , family caregivers , population , clinical psychology , mental health , gerontology , medicine , psychiatry , social psychology , environmental health
Background Providing long‐term care to an adult relative with intellectual disability can impact negatively on caregivers’ health and well‐being. Methods Data were collected via online and postal questionnaires on 110 family carers’ physical and psychological health, family stress and perceived positive gains from caring. Psychological adaptation and carers’ satisfaction with available support were also examined. Results Study participants reported more health problems than general populations. Higher support needs of care recipients were associated with increased family stress. Carers being female were associated with lower family stress. Older age and better socio‐economic position were associated with better psychological outcomes. Other associations were consistent with psychological adaption and perceived helpfulness of support buffering negative outcomes and facilitating positive gains from caring. Conclusions Family carers of adults with intellectual disability appear to experience poorer health outcome than population norms. Adaption to the caregiving role may buffer negative outcomes. Further large scale, population‐based, longitudinal research is needed.