Impact of burnout and spiritual well-being on caregiver burden in parents of children with cancer

Area of Science:

• Oncology Nursing
• Psychosocial Care
• Family Support

Background:

• Caregiver burden is a significant issue for parents of children with cancer.
• Understanding factors influencing this burden is crucial for effective support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the impact of burnout and spiritual well-being on caregiver burden in parents of children with cancer.
• To identify specific factors contributing to caregiver burden.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive and correlational study involving 151 parents of children with cancer in Türkiye.
• Data collected via face-to-face interviews using Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS), and Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (ZBI).
• Multiple regression analysis used to identify predictors of caregiver burden.

Main Results:

• Over half of parents (53.0%) experienced mild-to-moderate caregiver burden.
• Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization (from MBI) were significant predictors of increased caregiver burden.
• Having a child diagnosed with leukemia was also a key predictor of higher caregiver burden.

Conclusions:

• Emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a child's leukemia diagnosis are associated with increased caregiver burden.
• Spiritual well-being demonstrated a protective effect, decreasing caregiver burden.
• Targeted psychosocial and spiritual interventions are recommended for nurses to support these families.