The Chosen Child: Characteristics of Family Caregivers Selected at an Early Age to Provide Care to Their Parents

Abstract

AbstractBackground and ObjectiveFamily caregivers who have been chosen by their family for the caregiving role may be under a unique type of stress due to familism and/or lack of choice. The purpose of this exploratory analysis was to investigate the characteristics of family caregivers who self‐identified as the “Chosen Child” caregiver.MethodsWe used survey data from 652 child caregivers collected in December 2016 as part of the outcome evaluation of the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP). We compared the characteristics between the caregivers who responded “definitely true” when asked if they were chosen by their family as a child to provide care (“Chosen Child”) and the caregivers who answered “definitely false” to chosen child (DFCC).ResultsCompared to DFCC caregivers (n=214), Chosen Child caregivers (n=168) experienced emotional distress more often (p=0.009), were more likely to have annual household income ≤$40,000 (p=0.018), were less likely to be employed (p=0.009), and were less likely to have received respite care in the past 6 months from family or friends (p=0.009). The mean emotional distress score remained significantly different between Chosen Child and DFCC caregivers after adjusting for potential confounders (2.64 vs. 2.43, respectively).ConclusionFamily and friends should be aware that the Chosen Child caregiver may be at risk for emotional distress and may be hesitant to ask for respite care or other types of support. Interventions for the Chosen Child should help them seek support when needed.