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Making The Invisible Visible: Adolescent Caregiver Experiences In Multiple Sclerosis, Renee Crizer

Doctoral Dissertations

Multiple Sclerosis, a chronic, debilitating neurological disease is typically diagnosed during the child bearing and child rearing ages of 20-50. Therefore, many people diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis have children and adolescents living at home. With approximately 400,000 people in the United States currently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and 10,000 new cases each year, a group of caregivers have emerged that are often unrecognized and potentially at risk: a group of young caregivers. The aim of this study was to explore the lived experience of individuals who provided care for a family member with Multiple Sclerosis during their adolescence. This qualitative, …