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A university-wide survey of caregiving students in the US: Individual differences and associations with emotional and academic adjustment

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  • Emma Armstrong-Carter

    (Stanford University
    The University of California
    The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

  • A. T. Panter

    (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

  • Bryant Hutson

    (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

  • Elizabeth A. Olson

    (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

Abstract

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Emma Armstrong-Carter & A. T. Panter & Bryant Hutson & Elizabeth A. Olson, 2022. "A university-wide survey of caregiving students in the US: Individual differences and associations with emotional and academic adjustment," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:9:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-022-01288-0
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-022-01288-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Polliana Teixeira da Silva & Alexander Hochdorn & Isabelle Patriciá Freitas Soares Chariglione, 2024. "Aging in (con)text: a systematic review on how scientific discourses embed the intersectional reality of elderly," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.

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