Predictors of occupational balance in informal caregivers of individuals with disabilities: the roles of age, stress, social support, and caregiver burden

Caregivers' occupational balance (OB) can be influenced by multiple factors that may vary depending on the caregiver's age. This study aimed to identify key predictors of occupational balance among informal caregivers from different age groups, with particular emphasis on stress, perceived social support, and caregiver burden. The cross-sectional survey study was conducted with 233 participants who completed the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Perceived Stress Scale, the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale, and the Occupational Balance Questionnaire. Between-group differences were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, while multiple linear regression was performed to identify significant predictors of occupational balance. Caregiver burden emerged as the strongest predictor of occupational balance across all age groups (β = 0.61, <i>p</i> < .001 for caregivers of children; β = 0.33, <i>p</i> = .007 for caregivers of adults; β = 0.54, <i>p</i> < .001 for caregivers of older adults). Additionally, stress (β = 0.32, <i>p</i> = .008) was a significant predictor among caregivers of adults, and disability percentage (β = 0.21, <i>p</i> = .021) predicted occupational balance among caregivers of older adults. All analyses used a significance threshold of <i>p</i> < .05. These findings highlight the necessity of assessing caregiver burden, stress, and social support in efforts to promote occupational balance and well-being among informal caregivers.