Abstract
PURPOSE: The psychological well-being of caregivers profoundly influences the treatment efficacy, long-term visual rehabilitation, and overall family well-being of children with strabismus. However, the heterogeneity within this caregiver population has not been explored. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 409 caregivers. Latent profile analysis was performed based on levels of depression symptoms, resilience, and social support to classify caregivers. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors of profile membership. RESULTS: Three distinct profiles were identified: vulnerable and distressed group (36.19%), paradoxically distressed group (7.34%), and resilient and adapted group (56.47%). Regression analyses revealed that low education was a risk factor for vulnerable and distressed group. Younger age (<30 years) was a strong risk factor for paradoxically distressed group, whereas having two children was a protective factor. The clinical features of the children showed no significant association with caregivers' psychological adaptation profiles. CONCLUSION: Caregivers of children with strabismus exhibited significant heterogeneity in psychological adaptation, which was primarily driven by their own demographic factors rather than the child's clinical features. These findings provide a critical basis for developing targeted psychological interventions.