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Published on: September 19, 2019
A qualitative exploration of self-compassion for caregivers of children with physical disabilities
Christine R Lathren1, Macy Lawrence Ratliff1, Jamie Lynn Tatera2
1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Purpose/Objective:
Caregivers of children with physical disabilities face unique stressors and experience high levels of anxiety, depression, and burnout. In general, self-compassion-based skills are associated with decreased psychological distress and increased well-being. However, the nuances of why or how self-compassion may promote the psychological well-being in caregivers of children with physical disabilities are unknown. Using qualitative data, this study explores the relevance of self-compassion in supporting caregivers' psychological well-being from multiple perspectives.
Method:
We conducted 13 semistructured interviews with community service providers, a group feedback session with seven caregiver advisors, and a feedback session with eight caregivers who had recently completed a self-compassion-based resilience course. Transcripts were analyzed by two coders using reflexive thematic analysis.
Results:
We developed three themes regarding how self-compassion skills may promote caregivers' psychological well-being within the context of caregiving: (a) balancing "gritting through" with increased awareness and expression of emotions and needs, (b) balancing isolation with increased connection, and (c) balancing self-judgment with increased grace and self-advocacy.
Conclusion:
Self-compassion skills may benefit caregivers in specific ways in the context of caring for a child with a physical disability. Self-compassion-based interventions that target and measure these unique factors are promising for alleviating psychological distress for this community. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
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