Navigating Thesis Completion as Caregivers: Lived Experiences of Student Caregivers

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-348-1_9How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Self-directed learning; student caregivers; thesis completion

Abstract

This paper explores the challenges faced by student caregivers, who juggled academic responsibilities while providing care for family members. The dual roles of caregiving and studying often lead to increased stress, potential delays, and a higher risk of academic dropout. The COVID-19 pandemic has further complicated these challenges by shifting learning and thesis advisory to remote formats. Through narrative inquiry, this study captures the lived experiences of two student caregivers, highlighting the impact of caregiving on their academic journeys and the strategies they employed to manage their responsibilities. Student A pursued a Master’s degree to fulfill her late husband’s dream, balancing her studies with raising two daughters and working as a teacher. Despite the emotional and physical toll, she leveraged self-regulated learning, a strong peer network, and a mix of remote and face-to-face advisory to stay on track. Her proximity to the campus and the support from friends played a crucial role in maintaining her motivation and academic progress. Student B faced significant obstacles due to the intense caregiving responsibilities for her chronically ill mother and aunt, coupled with full-time work and a business. The geographical distance from campus resources and the lack of a supportive peer network further hindered her thesis completion. The emotional and physical strain led to academic delays and decreased motivation, highlighting the need for institutional support and effective remote advisory. The findings emphasize the importance of social capital, self-directed learning, and a supportive academic environment in helping student caregivers succeed. Implications of the study include the need for the provision of flexible learning schedules, access to mental health resources, and platforms for peer interaction to support these students. By understanding and addressing the unique challenges faced by student caregivers, institutions can help them achieve their academic goals while fulfilling their caregiving responsibilities.

Copyright

© 2024 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Youwen Sartika
AU  - Rita Inderawati
AU  - Sary Silvhiany
PY  - 2024
DA  - 2024/12/31
TI  - Navigating Thesis Completion as Caregivers: Lived Experiences of Student Caregivers
BT  - Proceedings of the 7th Celt International Conference (CIC 2024)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 115
EP  - 134
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-348-1_9
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-348-1_9
ID  - Sartika2024
ER  -