Research Symposium

BIO

My name is Zachary Roz and I am a first-year undergraduate nursing major and presidential scholar from Orlando, Florida. I am interested in nursing research focusing specifically on pediatric nursing practices and topics that relate to the improvement of care for pediatric patients and their families. My goal is to one day become a pediatric nurse practitioner working in a critical care setting within a children's hospital.

Caregivers of Children With Special Healthcare Needs: Exploring the Relationships Between Parental Caregiving of CSHCN and the Use of Anti-Depressants

Abstract

Parental caregivers of children with special healthcare needs (CCSHCN) undergo constant daily stressors due to the prioritization of the ongoing medical and emotional needs of their children who they provide daily care for. This often leads to the caregivers overlooking their own personal needs. While researchers have investigated the effects of caregiving in this population on mood, little research exists exploring the incidence of diagnosed mood disorders and the use of antidepressants amongst caregivers. Therefore, our primary purpose of this study was to explore the use of antidepressants in parental caregivers of special needs children compared to parents of healthy typically developing children. We aimed to 1. Examine the differences in the use of antidepressants in parental caregivers of CSHCN and those with healthy, developing children, 2. Explore the relationships between parental demographics, self-care, depression, stress, anxiety and the use of antidepressants in caregivers, and 3. Explore the differences in child severity on the use of antidepressants in caregivers. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 120 parent caregivers who self-reported diagnosed mood disorders, antidepressant used, sociodemographic information, completed the Depression, Stress, and Anxiety Scale (DASS), and the Mindful Self-care Scale (MSCS) questionnaires. We expect to find a positive association between the medical complexity of the pediatric patients and the caregiver’s use of antidepressants. Our findings may imply that the use of antidepressants is linked to depressive behaviors and high stress levels associated with caregiving of children with special healthcare needs.

Keywords: Nursing, Children, Caregivers