Caregiver Demand and Distress in Parents of Youth with Juvenile Rheumatic Diseases: Examining Illness Intrusiveness and Parenting Stress as Mediators

Abstract

To examine illness intrusiveness and parenting stress as potential serial mediators in the relationship between parents’ illness-specific caregiver demand and psychological distress in parents of youth with juvenile rheumatic diseases (JRDs). Sixty-eight caregivers of youth diagnosed with a JRD completed measures of illness-specific caregiver demand (CD), illness intrusiveness (IIS-P), general parenting stress (PSI-SF), and psychological distress (BSI). Bootstrap regression analyses revealed a significant CD → IIS-P → PSI-SF → BSI complex serial mediation path. Results also revealed significant CD → IIS-P → BSI and CD → PSI-SF → BSI simple indirect effects. Results provide support for examining both illness-specific (caregiver demand, illness intrusiveness) and illness non-specific (general parenting stress) parent appraisal variables in determining psychological distress among parents of youth with JRDs. Additionally, results provide clarification regarding the mechanisms that may drive psychological distress in parents, and suggest directions for parent-targeted interventions with this population.