Graduate Studies

 

First Advisor

Cody Hollist

Second Advisor

Holly Hatton

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Committee Members

Jordan Soliz, Julia Torquati

Department

Child, Youth, and Family Studies

Date of this Version

8-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Citation

A dissertation presented to the Graduate College of the University of Nebraska in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy

Major: Human Science (Child, Youth & Family Studies)

Under the supervision of Professors Cody Hollist and Holly Hatton

Lincoln, Nebraska, August 2025

Comments

Copyright 2025, Sarah O. Rasby. Used by permission

Abstract

Often referred to as “hidden patients,” family caregivers endure numerous physical, emotional, psychological, and social hardships due to the demands of caregiving, which often results in their own needs going unmet. With the projected 61.3 million of the baby boomer generation entering the long-term care phase by 2029 along with a mass shortage of professional caregivers post-pandemic, more and more family members are expected to fill in for the role of care without sufficient access to support services (Pollard & Scommegna, 2014; Smith & Chang, 2016). An exploratory, mixed-methods study using a three-group intervention design was utilized to investigate the perceived value of self-compassion practices for family caregivers between the ages of 30–50 years old, a subgroup that has yet to be researched in depth. Quantitatively, pre- and post-intervention survey data assessed caregiver burden, emotional well-being, caregiver identity, and self-compassion across three groups: a self-compassion group, a peer support group, and a control group. Results indicated: (a) significant improvements in self-compassion and emotional regulation in the self-compassion group, (b) reductions in caregiver burden and burnout post-intervention, and (c) increased awareness of how caregiving had come to define one’s identity and overshadow aspects of emotional well-being. Qualitatively, participants described feeling less isolated, more emotionally equipped, and reported feeling more supported and content as caregivers. Findings contribute to the limited research on self-compassion as a supportive intervention for family caregivers, particularly within a younger caregiving cohort navigating high-intensity care with limited systemic support. Additionally, this study adds to the evolving research on family caregiving by deepening understanding of caregivers’ lived experiences and highlighting the multifaceted emotional, relational, and systemic factors that shape caregiving over time.

Advisors: Cody Hollist and Holly Hatton

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