Carer burden and burnout in relation to behavioral and emotional problems in children’s homes.

This was a comparative cross-sectional study among three governments’ (40 carers) and 11 private children’s homes (40 carers) in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Pahang. Assessments were carried out using the Maslach Burnout Inventory- General Survey (MBI-GS), Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) for the carers and Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for the children. Result: Carers at both types of homes showed high levels of burnout.

Majority of the carers from both types of homes had a mild to moderate burden of 52.5% and 47.5% respectively. Children at government homes had more behavioural problems. The carers at government homes showed significant association but a low correlation of cynicism with total difficulties, exhaustion and cynicism with conduct problems.

Carers at private homes showed significant association but a low correlation of decreased sense of personal efficacy with total difficulties, conduct problems and exhaustion with low prosocial behaviour. There was significant association but a low correlation of burden with total difficulties and emotional problems in private homes. Simple logistic regression on association of children’s behavioral and emotional problems with carer’s burden and burnout did not reveal significant findings.

Conclusion: Carer’s burden and burnout levels were high in children’s homes even though they were not significantly contributed by the children’s behavioural and emotional problems.