Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS) is a complex disorder characterized by numerous challenges, including intellectual disability,
speech delay, decreased pain sensitivity, sleep disturbances, hyperactivity, mood instability, and self-injury. Caregivers
must readily adapt to the ever-changing needs of the child. Due to these demands, caregivers may encounter difficulties maintaining
their own level of well-being. Thus, a total of 112 primary caregivers (i.e., parents) of individuals diagnosed with SMS responded
to online questionnaires to assess demographic and psychosocial factors, such as perceptions of child health vulnerability,
benefit finding, sleep behaviors, anxiety and depression symptomatology, and caregiver satisfaction and self-efficacy, which
may be related to caregiver well-being. Results show that, among mothers, caregiver well-being was directly related to perceived
child health vulnerability, caregiver satisfaction, and benefit finding, and a significant moderating effect was observed
for depression/anxiety counseling after beginning the caregiver role on the relationship between anxiety symptomatology and
caregiver well-being. Results further suggest that maternal caregivers who report high levels of anxiety but do not seek counseling
fair the worst in terms of well-being. Among fathers, lower depression symptoms and greater benefit finding were related to
higher levels of caregiver well-being. These data show that many factors play roles in influencing coping and well-being among
SMS caregivers. Investigating these variables and relationships may reveal additional resources and interventions to assist
primary caregivers.
Keywords Primary caregiver - Benefit finding - Caregiver well-being - Smith-Magenis syndrome - Depression - Anxiety - Sleep disturbance