In this study, a questionnaire survey was conducted for young people who routinely take care of other family members in their homes called “Young carer (hereinafter referred to as YC).” The purpose was to clarify the relationship between YC's family relationship and the psychological experience associated with YC’s involvement in family care and “care burden.” An Internet survey was conducted through a survey company, and 173 YCs at the time of research received responses. As a result of the analysis, for YC's “care burden,” excessive care burden on YC individuals such as “escape feeling,” “practical burden”, “excessive care role,” seriousness of care needs such as “severity of care level,” and “family equity,” which is considered to express the balance of power relationships among families, was affected. Although previous studies on adolescent mental health have shown that power balance of family's functions positively in psychological adjustment by increasing autonomy and self-determination in adolescents, The results showed that “family equity,” which shows the balance of power among family members, is related to YC's “care burden,” and there was a difference from previous studies. YC has family members who need care, and the family needs to deal with the care. In such a situation, it was considered that autonomy and self-determination promoted by balance of power encouraged voluntary cooperation in care and related to YC's care burden. From these, support to families that suppress the care burden of YC while maintaining family power balance that promotes autonomy and selfdetermination that are expected to have positive impact on adolescent adjustment was also considered necessary.

本研究では，

    本研究では協力者の多くが父や母を亡くしているか、父母のいずれかが病を抱えており、両親が揃っていても互いの介護を担っているため、孫に当る協力者がひとりで、祖父母の介護責任を負っている。介護保険も同居家族がいることで援助範囲が制限されるなど状況は厳しいが、若年介護者の窮状は見過されている。一方、経済的には各協力者とも生活保護などは受けていないが厳しい状況であり、孤独感や疎外感を懐き、将来への不安を感じている。同世代との繋がりも難しく、家族の会への参加も困難な若年介護者が、社会から孤立して将来を閉ざされたり、自ら閉ざさぬよう、学校、地域など身近な所から、若年介護者の存在を把握することも喫緊の課題であろう。若年介護者の想いを尊重し擁護しながら、新たなスティグマをうみ出さぬよう、若年介護者に寄り添う支援の創出が急がれる。