Children's Behavioural Issues and Kinship Caregiver Depression: The Roles of Self-Care and Formal Support

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine two intervening variables, self-care and formal support that affect the relationship between children with behavioural issues and caregiver depression. Specifically, this study examines whether self-care can mediate the relationship between children's behavioural issues and caregivers' depression levels and whether formal support can moderate the relationship between children's behavioural issues and caregivers' depression levels. Data from this study were collected from Qualtrics survey in 2020. A total of 136 participated in the survey, and 16 of them did not complete the survey. Two duplicates were removed, so the final sample size in the survey is 118 kinship caregivers in Michigan. Children's problem behaviours, depression level of caregivers, self-care practices and kinship care navigator programme were measured. Results suggested that more frequently children showed behavioural issues, the more their behaviours are significantly associated with higher caregiver depression levels (B = 0.253, p = 0.004). The amount of caregiver self-care practice showed a significant mediation effect between caregivers' depression level and children's behavioural issues (B = −0.314, p < 0.001), meaning more behavioural issues resulted in less self-care practice of caregivers, and this less frequent self-care could also result in a higher level of depression of caregivers. The moderation effect of kinship care programmes showed a disparity when caregivers were caring for children with different levels of behavioural issues. This study uncovered the differential roles of two intervening variables between children with behavioural issues and caregiver depression levels. Our findings affirmed the need to assist caregivers with children's behavioural issues in finding ways to engage in self-care.