Andrews, Brody (2023) The Role of Caregivers in Promoting Connectedness in Youth with Mental Health Concerns. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
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. This isolation hampers their efforts to recover from mental health concerns. Guided by the recovery model of mental health care, this study investigates the often-overlooked role of caregivers in fostering 'connectedness' in youth – a sense of belonging derived from establishing and maintaining positive interpersonal relationships. Semi-structured interviews with nine caregivers of youth (aged 12-24) with mental health issues were conducted. The data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, incorporating a critical realist ontology. The 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. These tasks highlight the complex dialectics faced by caregivers in supporting youth recovery. Caregivers expressed the importance of striking a balance in their approach, being mindful not to be overly protective or add stress to already strained relationships with youth while still providing encouragement and maintaining a realistic understanding of the youth's ability to engage in social interactions. The findings hold key implications for developing interventions, resources and policies designed for caregivers. By partnering with caregivers and providing them with targeted guidance about social isolation and connectedness, mental health interventions can improve their efficacy and impact on recovery outcomes for youth.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Current – Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology and Wellbeing (1 Jan 2022 -) |
| Supervisors: | Govind Krishnamoorthy |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 14 May 2025 01:49 |
| Last Modified: | 14 May 2025 01:49 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | caregivers; youth recovery; mental health; connectedness; CHIME framework |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52114 |
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