An Examination of Factors Supporting Healthy and Positive Lives of Young Carers Using the Trajectory Equifinality Model

Abstract

This study was designed to examine the factors necessary for young carers to live healthy and positive lives. An interview survey was conducted with a university student who had experiences caring for her mother.

The outcome of this interview included her experiences of both positive and negative emotions in her life with caregiving. On the other hand, her narratives indicated that the following five factors are necessary for the children to live healthy and positive lives with a caring role in their house: （1） continuity in the relationship as a “parent-child” with the care recipient and the other parent, （2） environments in which the children can take charge of the care to the extent that they can in cooperation with other family members, （3） presence of non-family members who they can talk about their family situation, （4） places where the care recipients can participate in society and presence of non-family members who can provide mental support for them, and （5） guarantee of environments in which they can concentrate on what they wants to do.

To sum up from the above, it is important to seek a better balance each family should have and a way each family should be, instead of considering a bad thing for children to take charge of the care. If young carers can be given environments in which each family member can feel more comfortable, their experiences about care can be valuable experiences that broadens their perspectives, not negative experiences that haunts in their future. These experiences could be used in their later lives.