Andrews Brody, Krishnamoorthy Govind, Dallinger Vicki C, Maybery Darryl
School of Psychology and Wellbeing, University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ), Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia.
Manna Institute, Center for Health Research, University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ), Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia.
Children (Basel). 2024 Nov 30;11(12):1469. doi: 10.3390/children11121469.
Mental health concerns among youth represent a critical global public health issue. Research has found that youth with mental health concerns are often reliant on their caregivers while being isolated from peers. Guided by the recovery model of mental health care, this study investigates the often-overlooked role of caregivers in fostering 'connectedness' in youth; Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine caregivers of youth with mental health issue; Results: Thematic analysis underscored three tasks in the role of caregivers in promoting connectedness in youth: (a) understanding the nature and quality of social networks, (b) supporting readiness to engage in social relationships, and (c) promoting their youth's social problem solving and self-efficacy; Discussion: These tasks highlight the complex dialectics faced by caregivers in supporting youth recovery. The findings hold key implications for developing interventions, resources and policies designed for caregivers.
青少年的心理健康问题是一个关键的全球公共卫生问题。研究发现，有心理健康问题的青少年往往依赖其照顾者，同时与同龄人隔离。本研究以精神卫生保健的康复模式为指导，调查了照顾者在促进青少年“联系感”方面常被忽视的作用；方法：对九名有心理健康问题青少年的照顾者进行了半结构式访谈；结果：主题分析强调了照顾者在促进青少年联系感方面的三个任务：（a）了解社交网络的性质和质量，（b）支持建立社交关系的准备状态，以及（c）促进其青少年的社会问题解决能力和自我效能感；讨论：这些任务凸显了照顾者在支持青少年康复过程中面临的复杂辩证法。研究结果对为照顾者设计干预措施、资源和政策具有关键意义。
