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. 2024 Nov 30;11(12):1469.
doi: 10.3390/children11121469.

The Role of Caregivers in Promoting Connectedness in Youth with Mental Health Concerns

Brody Andrews  1 , Govind Krishnamoorthy  2 , Vicki C Dallinger  1 , Darryl Maybery  3
Affiliations

The Role of Caregivers in Promoting Connectedness in Youth with Mental Health Concerns

Brody Andrews et al. Children (Basel). .

Abstract

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.

Keywords: CHIME; caregivers; connectedness; mental health; youth; youth recovery.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
CHIME framework of personal recovery [31].
Figure 2
Figure 2
Restoration and resilience processes in youth recovery [36].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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