Journal of Child and Family Studies, Vol. 10, No. 4, December 2001 ( C  2002) pp. 405–418 Distinguishing Caregiver Strain from Psychological Distress: Modeling the Relationships Among Child, Family, and Caregiver Variables Ana Maria Brannan, Ph.D., 1,3 and Craig Anne Heflinger, Ph.D. 2 Although both have been used in studies of the impact of mental illness on the family, the constructs of caregiver strain (often referred to as “burden of care”) and psychological distress have not been clearly distinguished. The vagueness sur- rounding these constructs, and the lack of a cohesive conceptual framework for understanding how they relate, leads to contradictory interpretations of results. This compromises the building of the knowledge base needed to develop and eval- uate interventions to support families as they struggle to meet the needs of their children with emotional and behavioral challenges. We utilized the ABCX Model as a framework for understanding caregiver strain and its relationship to psycho- logical distress. Structural equations modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationship between caregiver strain and psychological distress, as well as the role of key child and family variables. These included child symptoms, stressful life events, social support, family functioning, and material resources. Our findings indicated that caregiver strain and psychological distress, although related, have distinct correlates and different implications in the family context. KEY WORDS: caregiver strain; psychological distress; burden of care; family factors; stress and coping. It is well-established that families caring for relatives with emotional, behav- ioral, or mental disorders experience considerable strain associated with their care- giving responsibility (e.g., Hoenig & Hamilton, 1967; Marsh, 1992; McDonald, Poertner, & Pierpont, 1999). In multiple studies, families have reported increased 1 Research Associate, Institute for Public Policy Studies, Center for Mental Health Policy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN. 2 Associate Professor, Department of Human and Organizational Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN. 3 Correspondence should be directed to Ana Maria Brannan, 2529 Lauderdale Dr., Atlanta, Georgia 30345; e-mail: ana.m.brannan@vanderbilt.edu. 405 1062-1024/01/1200-0405/0 C  2002 Human Sciences Press, Inc.