Caregiving in Young Adulthood: A Case Study Exploring Role Strain and Caregiving Burden

Abstract

Young adults who take on the role of caregiver for parents diagnosed with dementia face difficulties in every aspect such as psychological, emotional, social and developmental. They navigate various life transitions such as education, career development, identity formation and independence. As a result, taking on caregiving duties during this time may interfere with developmental processes and result in significant emotional strain. This study focuses on role strain and caregiver burden within a mother-daughter relationship, involving a young adult’s experience of taking care of her mother who has been diagnosed with dementia. This study used a qualitative approach, involving semi-structured interviews to gain a deeper understanding of the participant’s emotional reactions, caregiving duties and relationship dynamics while taking care of her mother. Thematic analysis was used to identify prominent themes within the narrative to interpret the psychological impact of caregiving. One of the most significant was Caregiver burden, which is the emotional and psychological burnout, persistent worry and strain associated with long term responsibilities, including fatigue, consistent vigilance and depressive slumps. Caregiving responsibilities often conflict with personal aspirations and goals contributing to frustration. Grief and Caregiver guilt were other major themes that were present throughout the participant’s experience including a sense of loss and pressure of fulfilling caregiving tasks. Role Strain was seen as a result of conflicting expectations between various roles (daughter, caregiver, student and so on.). The findings suggested that presence of clear boundaries between roles alleviate psychological pressure and improvement within the mother-daughter relationship. Overall, the study highlights the complex emotional narrative that is experienced by a young adult caregiver where developmental demands intersect with caregiving responsibilities. The study is limited to a single case, providing insight into role strain, grief, guilt and caregiver in young adulthood. The study tries to stir further study on young adults as a distinct group within the informal caregiving population and their need for supportive structures that facilitate objective as well as emotional and social support.