Informal caregiving: An existential-phenomenological analysis of men's caregiving experience

A great deal of research looks at the effects of caregiving. The majority of such research focuses on the negative aspects of the role, such as the potentially ill effects on both the physical and mental health of the caregiver, although some research does address the potential benefits of providing care for another person. By and large, the current research uses quantitative methods to evaluate the dispositions of female caregivers. Very few studies use qualitative methods to understand the true experience of the caregiver and even fewer studies focus on males in the caregiving role. The present study qualitatively examines the experience of four male caregivers throughout the country. Interviews were recorded and then analyzed for common themes throughout all the interviews. It is hypothesized that the sample will have had some similar experiences, both positive and negative.