NCJ Number
214338
Journal
Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse Volume: 15 Issue: 3 Dated: 2006 Pages: 83-104
Date Published
2006
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This study compared caregiver stress experienced by families of adolescents being treated for substance abuse problems with the stress experienced by families with adolescents being treated for mental health disorders.
Abstract
Stress--as determined by measures of financial strain, disrupted family relations, difficulties with neighbors or police, anger, resentment, embarrassment, worry, guilt, and fatigue--was found to have similar characteristics and levels for caregivers of both adolescents in drug treatment and mental health treatment. Stress levels were related to difficulties associated with the behaviors and attitudes (emotions and perceptions) of the adolescents in treatment, with the adolescent's behaviors being more stress-related than his/her attitudes. These findings suggest the importance of including therapy, education, and practical support for individual family members and the family as a whole in treatment regimens for both drug-abusing and mentally ill adolescents. Two datasets were obtained from studies of Medicaid children and adolescents (ages 12-17) in Tennessee that included caregiver information. Of the 230 adolescents in one study, 185 of their caregivers were administered the caregiver strain assessment. For the 128 youth in the other study, 121 of their caregivers completed the caregiver strain assessment. Most of the data addressed caregiver and youth experiences in the past 6 months. Both studies were conducted in the early 2000s. 4 tables and 43 references