Christina N Marsack‐Topolewski
Biographic Data
| ID | 7894176 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Christina N Marsack‐Topolewski |
| GIVEN NAMES | Christina N |
| FAMILY NAME | Marsack‐Topolewski |
| SIGNATURE | TOPOLEWSKI C N M |
| AFFILIATIONS | Eastern Michigan University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-8178-2897 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 28 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 0 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 28 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2020 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 0 |
Quality of Life of Family Caregivers of Adults With Autism
Factors influencing the quality of life (QOL) of parents living with at least one adult child with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) was examined in a sample of 249 caregivers categorized into three types: Compound-1: caring for an adult with ASD along with another adult with a disability; Compound-2: caring for an adult child with ASD and other typically developing child[ren]; and Noncompound: caring for an adult child with ASD. Quantitative analy…
Gender Differences in Adolescent Opioid Misuse and Suicidality
Examining the Indirect Effect of Dementia Caregiving Status on Mental Health Through Coping Resources
Caregivers of older adults with dementia generally report poorer mental health than those caring for other chronic conditions. Research indicates that coping resources such as resilience and perceived gains can improve mental health. This study examined the indirect effects of dementia caregiving status on mental health through coping resources. Participants were 2242 caregivers of Medicare enrollees aged 65 and older from the 2017 National Study…
Comparing Caregiving Outcomes Among Male and Female Parents of Autistic Adults
This study compared aging male and female parents of autistic adults to determine if self-reported caregiver health, quality of life, caregiver burden, informal social support, and formal social support differ between the two groups. Fifty-seven female caregivers and 57 male caregivers were selected using data from a larger study. T-tests for independent samples compared dependent variables between female and male parents. Statistically significa…
The Relationship of Opioid Misuse and Suicidality Among Adolescents With Disabilities
Adolescents experience higher risk for opioid misuse and suicide, and those with disabilities are disproportionately vulnerable to suicide risk. Using secondary data, this study presents findings on nonmedical prescription opioid use (NMPOU) and suicidality among adolescents with and without disabilities ( N = 10,676). Results indicated NMPOU was associated with higher odds for serious thoughts of suicide. Having a disability was associated with …
Supporting Older Caregivers of Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
This study’s purpose was to determine the effectiveness of relationships between a family support navigator (FSN) and older caregivers of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who participated in a family support project. The Beach Center’s Family Professional Partnership scale modified for use with older caregivers ( N = 96) was found to be valid and reliable. Two factors (FSN skills and family needs) emerging from the explorat…
Characteristics of adult children with autism and caregiver burden
Perceptions of Caregiver Burden and Living Arrangements of Adult Children With Autism
The purpose of this study is to examine whether the living arrangements of adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) contribute to caregiver burden. The sample included 320 aging parents of adult children with ASD who were living in their parents’ homes, independently, independently with assistance, or residential group homes. Aging parents completed a survey measuring four types of caregiver burden (time dependence, developmental, emotional, an…
Caregiver perceptions and experiences surrounding employment of their adult‐aged children on the autism spectrum
Association between Current Substance Use, Healthy Behaviors, and Depression among Ukrainian College Students
Depression is a pervasive issue among college students worldwide, yet there is a significant gap in the literature regarding its prevalence and coping strategies in the Ukrainian context. The present study aims to fill this gap by investigating how substance use and health-promoting behaviors relate to depressive symptoms among Ukrainian college students. Health-promoting behaviors are an important strategy to prevent depression, whereas substanc…
The Association of Opioid Misuse and Suicidality among People with Disabilities
Background/Purpose: Past research has linked non-medical prescription opioid use (NMPOU) with suicide, though less focus has been placed among people with disabilities impacted by the opioid epidemic. This study examined the relationship of NMPOU and suicidality among people with and without disabilities while controlling for sociodemographic and other variables. Method: Using the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, weighted logistic reg…
Teaching Note—Supporting Homebound Older Adults and Caregivers Through Integrative Service Learning
) partnership trains undergraduate social work students to provide practical home-based support for older adults with chronic illness and their family caregivers, serving as a pipeline for future leaders in older adult care. More than 2 million older adults are homebound, and 5 million need help leaving their homes due to physical limitations from chronic conditions or cognitive impairments. Family members often assume daily caregiving tasks to a…
The realities of problem‐solving for emerging‐adult siblings of individuals with schizophrenia
Ethnic and Neighborhood Differences in Poverty and Disability among Older Asian Americans in New York City
Asian Americans are the fastest growing and fastest aging U.S. population, and occupy both extremes of socioeconomic and health indices. Using the 2016 NYCgov dataset, multilevel logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship of poverty, acculturation and neighborhood-level variables with disability for different ethnic groups of Asian older adults (Chinese, South Asian, Filipino, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese) in New Y…
Predictors of quality of life for aging family caregivers of adults with autism
Family caregivers provide the predominance of care for loved ones requiring caregiving support in the United States. Quality of life and caregiver burden are impacted as caregivers age and their health declines. The purpose of this study was to determine if the domains of caregiver burden (time dependence, developmental, emotional, and impact of finances on caregiving) and informal social support were predictors of quality of life for aging paren…
When More Is Too Much
Using the theoretical lens of Family Quality of Life, this study evaluated perceptions of older compound caregivers (i.e., caring for more than one family member) regarding their need for services. Quantitative analysis of cross-sectional data collected from 112 caregivers (50 years and older) demonstrated that compound caregivers faced more barriers in accessing services for their families than noncompound caregivers. Although all caregivers sha…
Emerging Adults and Developing Awareness of Siblings’ Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Emerging adults who are siblings to individuals with schizophrenia are an understudied though important population. This study examined perceptions of emerging adults to better understand developmental experiences and needs for supportive intervention. Using grounded theory, 23 emerging adults participated in open-ended, in-depth interviews. Results indicated themes related to emerging adults and their developing awareness of siblings’ experience…
Race Differences in Opioid Misuse and Adolescent Suicidality
A Comparative Case Study of Hospice and Hospital End-of-Life Care for Aging Adults With Developmental Disabilities
Greater attention is being paid to issues surrounding end-of-life care for aging adults with developmental disabilities. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the end-of-life experiences of two aging adults with developmental disabilities and life-limiting serious illnesses who received care in settings in the United States. Using a comparative case study design, data from three sources (records, staff, surrogates) were collected s…
Parental caregivers’ use of support networks for adults with autism by educational status
The predominance of literature on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) focuses on the diagnosis and needs of young children with ASD and their parental caregivers. Research that compares adults with ASD who were in extended public school programs and those who had either aged out of the programs or were not attending these programs and their service needs is lacking. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in caregivers’ reported use of fo…
Social communication supports and services for adults with ASD
Adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience significant social communication challenges that impact key areas of life, including relationship and employment success. Evidence points to great potential for social communication growth in adults with ASD; however, families’ access to supports and services is limited by lack of funding and accessibility. Scant research has been dedicated to unearthing the experiences of adults with ASD and …
Relationship between caregiver burden and basic and instrumental activities of daily living among compound and noncompound caregivers
Parental caregivers can expect to support their children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) across the lifespan. Providing ongoing support for adult children with ASD who have difficulty performing activities of daily living (ADLs) independently can increase caregiver burden. This may be particularly challenging for compound caregivers (caring for at least one adult child with ASD and another care recipient). The present study investigated diffe…
Coping Strategies Used by Aging Parental Caregivers of Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Caregiving can be a lifelong responsibility for parents of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study examined coping strategies and barriers experienced by parents of adult children with ASD. The 51 parents who participated in this study were at least 50 years old and had an adult child (18+) with ASD. Semistructured, one-on-one interviews were conducted with parents to understand their experiences of having an adult child with …
Mediating Effects of Social Support on Caregiver Burden and Quality of Life for Compound and Noncompound Caregivers
This study sought to explore the mediating effect of informal social support on the relationship between caregiver burden and quality of life among compound and noncompound caregivers. Parents ( N = 320) completed a web-based survey aimed to examine effects of caring for an adult child with autism spectrum disorder. Results of the mediation analysis suggested that informal social support partially mediated the relationship between caregiver burde…
“I'm Glad She Chose Me as Her Parent”
Objective This research examines perceptions of rewards associated with caregiving experienced by older parents of adult children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Background More individuals with ASD are reaching adulthood, often requiring some form of lifelong support from parental caregivers. Past research has examined caregiving challenges for adult children with ASD, with little focus on rewards. Method One‐on‐one, semistructured intervie…
No prominent works on this page.
Age Differences in Non-Medical Prescription Opioid Use and Psychological Distress
Background/Purpose: Prescription opioid use has been recognized as an epidemic in the United States and globally. More research is needed to understand the association of opioids and mental health for older adults. This study examined age differences in the association of non-medical prescription opioid use (NMPOU) and psychological distress, with a focus on older adult populations. Methods: This study used the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use an…
Parents’ Perceptions of Access to Services for Their Adult Children Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder
The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate parents’ perceptions of service access for their adult children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Access includes accommodation, acceptability, availability, and affordability (4 As) of services. This study examined which of the 4 As presented the biggest challenges across multiple types of services needed. Fifty-one parents of adult children with ASD participated in semistructured …
Emerging Adult Siblings of Individuals with Schizophrenia
The developmental process of siblings of individuals with schizophrenia can be complicated due to crises, as well as numerous individual and familial changes. This qualitative study uses grounded theory techniques to analyze the lived experiences of emerging adult siblings (ages 18-30 years) of individuals with schizophrenia. We conducted 23 one-on-one intensive interviews with sibling participants, using open-ended questions and prompts. Based o…
Parental caregivers’ use of support networks for adults with autism by educational status
The predominance of literature on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) focuses on the diagnosis and needs of young children with ASD and their parental caregivers. Research that compares adults with ASD who were in extended public school programs and those who had either aged out of the programs or were not attending these programs and their service needs is lacking. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in caregivers’ reported use of fo…
Social communication supports and services for adults with ASD
Adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience significant social communication challenges that impact key areas of life, including relationship and employment success. Evidence points to great potential for social communication growth in adults with ASD; however, families’ access to supports and services is limited by lack of funding and accessibility. Scant research has been dedicated to unearthing the experiences of adults with ASD and …
Relationship between caregiver burden and basic and instrumental activities of daily living among compound and noncompound caregivers
Parental caregivers can expect to support their children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) across the lifespan. Providing ongoing support for adult children with ASD who have difficulty performing activities of daily living (ADLs) independently can increase caregiver burden. This may be particularly challenging for compound caregivers (caring for at least one adult child with ASD and another care recipient). The present study investigated diffe…
Coping Strategies Used by Aging Parental Caregivers of Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Caregiving can be a lifelong responsibility for parents of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study examined coping strategies and barriers experienced by parents of adult children with ASD. The 51 parents who participated in this study were at least 50 years old and had an adult child (18+) with ASD. Semistructured, one-on-one interviews were conducted with parents to understand their experiences of having an adult child with …
Mediating Effects of Social Support on Caregiver Burden and Quality of Life for Compound and Noncompound Caregivers
This study sought to explore the mediating effect of informal social support on the relationship between caregiver burden and quality of life among compound and noncompound caregivers. Parents ( N = 320) completed a web-based survey aimed to examine effects of caring for an adult child with autism spectrum disorder. Results of the mediation analysis suggested that informal social support partially mediated the relationship between caregiver burde…
“I'm Glad She Chose Me as Her Parent”
Objective This research examines perceptions of rewards associated with caregiving experienced by older parents of adult children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Background More individuals with ASD are reaching adulthood, often requiring some form of lifelong support from parental caregivers. Past research has examined caregiving challenges for adult children with ASD, with little focus on rewards. Method One‐on‐one, semistructured intervie…
Ethnic and Neighborhood Differences in Poverty and Disability among Older Asian Americans in New York City
Asian Americans are the fastest growing and fastest aging U.S. population, and occupy both extremes of socioeconomic and health indices. Using the 2016 NYCgov dataset, multilevel logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship of poverty, acculturation and neighborhood-level variables with disability for different ethnic groups of Asian older adults (Chinese, South Asian, Filipino, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese) in New Y…
Predictors of quality of life for aging family caregivers of adults with autism
Family caregivers provide the predominance of care for loved ones requiring caregiving support in the United States. Quality of life and caregiver burden are impacted as caregivers age and their health declines. The purpose of this study was to determine if the domains of caregiver burden (time dependence, developmental, emotional, and impact of finances on caregiving) and informal social support were predictors of quality of life for aging paren…
When More Is Too Much
Using the theoretical lens of Family Quality of Life, this study evaluated perceptions of older compound caregivers (i.e., caring for more than one family member) regarding their need for services. Quantitative analysis of cross-sectional data collected from 112 caregivers (50 years and older) demonstrated that compound caregivers faced more barriers in accessing services for their families than noncompound caregivers. Although all caregivers sha…
Emerging Adults and Developing Awareness of Siblings’ Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Emerging adults who are siblings to individuals with schizophrenia are an understudied though important population. This study examined perceptions of emerging adults to better understand developmental experiences and needs for supportive intervention. Using grounded theory, 23 emerging adults participated in open-ended, in-depth interviews. Results indicated themes related to emerging adults and their developing awareness of siblings’ experience…
Race Differences in Opioid Misuse and Adolescent Suicidality
A Comparative Case Study of Hospice and Hospital End-of-Life Care for Aging Adults With Developmental Disabilities
Greater attention is being paid to issues surrounding end-of-life care for aging adults with developmental disabilities. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the end-of-life experiences of two aging adults with developmental disabilities and life-limiting serious illnesses who received care in settings in the United States. Using a comparative case study design, data from three sources (records, staff, surrogates) were collected s…
The Association of Opioid Misuse and Suicidality among People with Disabilities
Background/Purpose: Past research has linked non-medical prescription opioid use (NMPOU) with suicide, though less focus has been placed among people with disabilities impacted by the opioid epidemic. This study examined the relationship of NMPOU and suicidality among people with and without disabilities while controlling for sociodemographic and other variables. Method: Using the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, weighted logistic reg…
Teaching Note—Supporting Homebound Older Adults and Caregivers Through Integrative Service Learning
) partnership trains undergraduate social work students to provide practical home-based support for older adults with chronic illness and their family caregivers, serving as a pipeline for future leaders in older adult care. More than 2 million older adults are homebound, and 5 million need help leaving their homes due to physical limitations from chronic conditions or cognitive impairments. Family members often assume daily caregiving tasks to a…
The realities of problem‐solving for emerging‐adult siblings of individuals with schizophrenia
Perceptions of Caregiver Burden and Living Arrangements of Adult Children With Autism
The purpose of this study is to examine whether the living arrangements of adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) contribute to caregiver burden. The sample included 320 aging parents of adult children with ASD who were living in their parents’ homes, independently, independently with assistance, or residential group homes. Aging parents completed a survey measuring four types of caregiver burden (time dependence, developmental, emotional, an…
Caregiver perceptions and experiences surrounding employment of their adult‐aged children on the autism spectrum
Association between Current Substance Use, Healthy Behaviors, and Depression among Ukrainian College Students
Depression is a pervasive issue among college students worldwide, yet there is a significant gap in the literature regarding its prevalence and coping strategies in the Ukrainian context. The present study aims to fill this gap by investigating how substance use and health-promoting behaviors relate to depressive symptoms among Ukrainian college students. Health-promoting behaviors are an important strategy to prevent depression, whereas substanc…
Comparing Caregiving Outcomes Among Male and Female Parents of Autistic Adults
This study compared aging male and female parents of autistic adults to determine if self-reported caregiver health, quality of life, caregiver burden, informal social support, and formal social support differ between the two groups. Fifty-seven female caregivers and 57 male caregivers were selected using data from a larger study. T-tests for independent samples compared dependent variables between female and male parents. Statistically significa…
The Relationship of Opioid Misuse and Suicidality Among Adolescents With Disabilities
Adolescents experience higher risk for opioid misuse and suicide, and those with disabilities are disproportionately vulnerable to suicide risk. Using secondary data, this study presents findings on nonmedical prescription opioid use (NMPOU) and suicidality among adolescents with and without disabilities ( N = 10,676). Results indicated NMPOU was associated with higher odds for serious thoughts of suicide. Having a disability was associated with …
Supporting Older Caregivers of Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
This study’s purpose was to determine the effectiveness of relationships between a family support navigator (FSN) and older caregivers of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who participated in a family support project. The Beach Center’s Family Professional Partnership scale modified for use with older caregivers ( N = 96) was found to be valid and reliable. Two factors (FSN skills and family needs) emerging from the explorat…
Characteristics of adult children with autism and caregiver burden
Psychology (24 works) · Medicine (21 works) · Family and Disability Support Research (18 works) · Clinical Psychology (17 works) · Psychiatry (15 works) · Autism (13 works) · Developmental psychology (13 works) · Autism Spectrum Disorder Research (12 works) · Gerontology (12 works) · Autism spectrum disorder (10 works)