Adjustment disorder symptoms among adult-child caregivers in wartime: The contribution of war-related stressful events, intolerance of uncertainty, and caregiver burden

Challenges faced by adult-child caregivers can intensify during calamitous events, potentially resulting in adjustment disorder symptoms. This study examined the contribution of demographic characteristics (age and gender), self-reported number of war-related stressful events, intolerance of uncertainty, and caregiver burden to explaining adjustment symptoms among adult-child caregivers who resided in Israel during the initial months of the Israel-Gaza war. A total of 402 Israeli adult-child caregivers participated in the study. We performed a three-step multiple hierarchical regression analysis. All independent variables included in the regression model had a significant contribution to explaining the variance in the dependent variable. Being female, younger, experiencing a higher number of war-related stressful events, higher reported intolerance of uncertainty, and greater reported caregiver burden were related to higher levels of adjustment disorder symptoms. The findings underscore the complex relationship between caregiving demands, wartime stressors, caregiver characteristics, and adjustment disorder symptoms among adult-child caregivers residing in Israel. Amidst 21st-century uncertainties, the challenges associated with caring for an older parent may intensify, along with their potential negative consequences. These findings lay the groundwork for developing policies and services tailored to provide adapted support to family caregivers during such challenging times.