Pediatric Stroke Caregiver Well-Being: A Holistic Wellness Perspective

Abstract

Evidence-based models are critical for understanding caregiver well-being and treatment interventions from a holistic perspective. This study introduces the Indivisible Self: An Evidence-Based Model of Wellness (IS-WEL) as a means for examining the holistic wellness of pediatric stroke caregivers. In this exploratory study, 161 participants completed a demographic survey and the Five-Factor Wellness Inventory (FF-WEL). Results indicate significant wellness score differences between the current sample of pediatric stroke caregivers and the FF-WEL norming sample on the higher order Total Wellness factor, the second-order wellness factors of Creative Self and Social Self, and the third-order wellness factors of thinking, emotions, control, positive humor, and love. These results support the veracity of the IS-WEL as an additional empirically sound holistic approach for understanding and addressing the well-being of stroke caregivers. The authors discuss practical clinical and research implications for utilizing the IS-WEL with pediatric stroke caregivers.