Young carer knowledge scale: Development, validation, and implications for support

"Young carers (YCs)" are children under the age of 18 who undertake adult caregiving roles, including household chores, family care, nursing, and emotional support. Despite the growing attention to YCs in Japan, public understanding remains limited. This study aims to develop a scale to measure YCs' knowledge and examine its reliability and validity.

A web-based survey was conducted in October 2023 with 300 participants aged 22-70 years. Participants were divided into three groups based on their subjective awareness of YCs: unaware, aware but unfamiliar, and aware and familiar. After excluding dishonest responses, data from 218 individuals (mean age = 53.2 ± 10.5 years) were analyzed. A 57-item questionnaire was developed, and exploratory factor analysis (principal factor method, Promax rotation) was conducted. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's α, and discriminant validity was examined through multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), controlling for gender, marital status, and parental status.

Factor analysis identified 29 items across three factors: excessive family roles, care-related daily life challenges, and hidden impacts of caring. The scale showed high internal consistency (α = 0.91-0.97). MANCOVA revealed significant differences in the knowledge scores according to subjective awareness (Wilks' Λ = 0.71, F(6, 420) = 9.22, p < 0.001), supporting discriminant validity. Greater awareness of YCs was associated with greater knowledge of YCs' circumstances.

These findings suggest that this scale may help assess the public understanding of YCs. Future studies should investigate variations in YCs' knowledge across different occupations, beliefs, and cultural contexts.