ERIC Number: ED662319
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
A University-Wide Survey of Caregiving Students in the US: Individual Differences and Associations with Emotional and Academic Adjustment
Emma Armstrong-Carter; A. T. Panter; Bryant Hutson; Elizabeth A. Olson
Grantee Submission, Humanities and Social Sciences Communications v9 Article 300 2022
The United States (US) does not formally count, recognize, or support students in higher education who are caregivers, unlike England and Australia. This mixed-methods study presents results from a new survey of caregiving undergraduate and graduate students at a large university in the US. Students (N = 7592; 62.7% White, 69.9% women) reported their caregiving responsibilities, depression, and anxiety, which were linked to administrative records of financial aid, part-time status, and academic grades (GPA). A small but noteworthy portion of students identified as caregivers (5.6%, N = 427), either for someone who was chronically ill or elderly (3.2%; N = 239) or for a minor under age 18 (2.9%; N = 227). Caregiving students were disproportionately women, graduate students, enrolled part-time, and receiving financial aid. Further, caregivers for the chronically ill or elderly (but not for a minor) faced heightened emotional and academic risk. Specifically, caregiving for 3-5 days per week was associated with lower GPA, and caregiving more hours per day was linked to greater anxiety and depressive symptoms. US universities should identify the needs of caregiving students and design policies to mitigate emotional and academic risk.
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Institute of Education Sciences (ED); National Science Foundation (NSF)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: North Carolina
IES Funded: Yes
Grant or Contract Numbers: R305B140009
Author Affiliations: N/A