Psychological Distress, Caregiver Burden, and Resilience among Caregivers of Children with Special Needs

Caregivers of children with special needs often experience heightened psychological challenges due to the continuous demands of caregiving, which may impact their mental health and overall resilience. The present study aimed to examine the relationships among psychological distress (stress, anxiety, and depression), caregiver burden, and resilience among caregivers of children with special needs. A total of 57 primary caregivers were recruited using purposive sampling from the Dharwad district, Karnataka. Standardized tools were administered, including the Parenting Stress Index–Short Form (PSI-SF), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI), and the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Results revealed moderate levels of parental distress, parent–child dysfunctional interaction, and difficult child scores, along with moderate caregiver burden and anxiety–depression. At the same time, resilience was found to be within a healthy range. Correlation analysis demonstrated that parental distress, parent–child dysfunctional interaction, and difficult child dimensions were significantly and positively correlated with caregiver burden and anxiety–depression. In contrast, resilience was negatively correlated with psychological distress and caregiver burden. Conversely, resilience showed a positive association with adaptive functioning, suggesting its protective role in mitigating stress and emotional strain. These findings align with previous literature emphasizing the dual burden and psychological strain faced by caregivers, while also highlighting the potential buffering effect of resilience. The study underscores the importance of psychological support and mindfulness-based interventions to enhance resilience and reduce the adverse effects of caregiver burden and psychological distress. Implications for counselling, clinical practice, and caregiver well-being are discussed.