‘A fundamental human experience’: New study suggests family caregiving can lessen depression – CTV
Jan. 1, 2024
Despite increased levels of stress and trauma associated with caring for an ailing loved one, a new study suggests that family caregiving can lead to less depression in adults.
Published in the journal Advances in Life Course Research, the research, which was conducted at the University of Texas in Austin, sought to challenge previous notions that caregiving can lead to declines in mental health and general wellbeing.
“Decades of research on this topic indicate that there are positive and negative aspects to being a caregiver,” said study author Sae Hwang Han, an assistant professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, in a press release from the University of Texas.
“It’s widely assumed the negatives far outweigh the positives, that caregiving is a chronic stressor and that it contributes to worse health and well-being. But the evidence doesn’t always bear that out.”
