ABSTRACT
Adolescent young carers (AYCs), aged 12–17, provide regular, unpaid support to a family member with a chronic illness or disability. Among the various forms of help they provide, emotional support (ES) plays a central role—demanding strong emotional and psychological investment yet remaining underexplored during adolescence, a period of identity development and emotional vulnerability. In France, 18 AYCs (12 girls, 6 boys; Mean age = 14.1) participated in an individual semi-structured interview and were recruited via a young carers’ association and social media. Data were analysed inductively using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis. The ES provided to the care recipient, as well as to other family members, was expressed in four main ways: presence and affective interactions, verbal and communicative support, assistance with emotional regulation and emotional protection. Many AYCs struggled to clearly define or recognize this support as a distinct form of help. Accounts revealed ambivalence regarding the effects of providing ES—bringing satisfaction while also generating emotional burden. ES is a complex, multifaceted component of adolescent caregiving within families. Greater awareness among professionals and policymakers is needed to recognize the significance of this often overlooked dimension of care and to integrate it into support and intervention practices.