Deinstitutionalization: The Consequences For The Primary Caregiver

This study examines the psychological well-being of the primary caregiver of a mentally-challenged individual. In this research, the primary caregiver is the person who has responsibility for the care of a mentally-challenged individual. The three main questions examined in this research are: Will caregiver's socioeconomic status be associated with the reported stress level of the caregiver? Will the use of formal supports to the caregiver be associated with lower levels of caregiver stress? Will the use of informal supports be associated with lower levels of caregiver stress? The study involved a quantative approach to examine 90 primary caregivers who live in the State of Texas, cares for only one mentally-challenged individual in their natural home setting. The research was conduced for five months, August through December 2005. Data was collected through Texas Special Olympics, various support groups, and networking throughout the State of Texas. A portion of the Parenting Stress Inventory (PSI) developed by Terry (1991) was used in the survey. The Multiple Classification Analysis was used in this research. The findings show caergiver's socioeconomic status is associated with the reported stress level of the caregiver but the use of formal supports and informal supports are not associated with lower levels of caregiver stress.