Sense of relatedness and interpersonal network of adult offspring caregivers: Linkages with crisis, emotional arousal, and perceived health

A descriptive correlational design was used to explore factors that influence the well-being of 168 adult offspring who were caring for a dependent parent. Subjects were queried about their health, relationships within their interpersonal networks, and experiences with crisis in the previous 6 months of caregiving. The findings suggest that although relatedness and interface with an interpersonal network are interrelated with one another in both crisis and noncrisis situations, relatedness appears to be more important for adult offspringsʹ sense of well-being in the presence of crisis than in the absence of crisis. In contrast, adult offspringsʹ interface with an interpersonal environment appears to be more important for their sense of well-being in the absence of crisis than in the presence of crisis. The results have implications for ways in which nurses can help adult offspring sustain the will and strength to thrive in the role of filial caregiver.