Associations of Caregiving Knowledge and Skills With Caregiver Burden, Psychological Well-Being, and Coping Styles Among Primary Family Caregivers of People Living With Schizophrenia in China

Abstract

Background: There is a lack of clarity regarding the correlation of caregiving knowledge and skills with caregiving experiences of people living with schizophrenia (PLSs). To address this gap, this comprehensive study examines the relationships of caregiving knowledge and skills to the primary family caregiver's experiences of burden, psychological well-being (stress, anxiety, depression, caregiving rewarding feelings), and coping styles in China.Methods: A total of 395 primary family caregivers of PLSs were enrolled in a cross-sectional study between May 2019 and September 2019. Each family caregiver was independently assessed on caregiving knowledge and skills, caregiver burden, and psychological well-being, as well as coping styles.Results: A higher level of caregiving knowledge and skills was positively correlated with less stress (b = −0.48, P < 0.001), anxiety (b = −0.23, P = 0.029), depression (b = −0.29, P = 0.013), and more caregiving rewarding feelings (b = 0.54, P < 0.001). Also, caregivers with more knowledge and skills were more inclined to adopt positive coping strategies (b = 0.44, P < 0.001). Despite these differences, caregivers with different levels of caregiving knowledge and skills reported comparable caregiver burden (b = 0.11, P = 0.705) and the use of a passive coping style (b = 0.10, P = 0.169).Conclusion: Caregiving knowledge and skills are a reliable predictor of psychological well-being and active coping among the primary family caregivers of PLSs. These findings inform the development of psychoeducational interventions to support family caregivers of PLSs.

Informal Caregivers’ Health Literacy in Lisbon, Portugal: A Profile for Health Promotion Prioritization

“…Evidence regarding the relationship between well-being and HL seems to be an available heuristic area. However, the conclusions of this study are corroborated by a study from China, where caregivers’ knowledge and skills of people with schizophrenia were identified as a significant predictor of well-being [ 43 ]. However, a systematic review identified mixed findings associating internet-based support interventions for caregivers to positive outcomes on well-being for most of the sample, despite six of the studies included in the review reporting negative outcomes [ 44 ].…”

Fecal Dysbiosis and Immune Dysfunction in Chinese Elderly Patients With Schizophrenia: An Observational Study

“…SZ is considered a severe and complex mental illness characterized by positive and negative symptoms, including delusions, hallucinations, thought disorder, apathy, and avolition as well as cognitive and functional impairment. Reports have shown that SZ prevalence changes with age in an inverted U-shape, with the highest value at around 40 years and nearly 71% of total cases being aged 25-54 years ( Zhou et al., 2021 ). Due to SZ epidemiological characteristics, aging SZ patients are easy to ignore.…”

Perceived mental health and emotional trajectories of long-term family caregivers of persons with mental conditions: A mixed-methods study

“…In other populations, nonpharmacological interventions have proven to be effective for family caregivers, including psychoeducation (Sin & Norman, 2013), mutual support programs (Chien & Norman, 2009), counseling (Shuler, 2014), and web-based or telephone interventions (Corry et al, 2019;Wilz et al, 2018). Caregiving knowledge and skills might influence the caregivers' psychological wellbeing (Zhou et al, 2021), meaning that controlled clinical trials in caregivers of individuals with mental disorders could be helpful for identifying means to reduce their mental health burden and thus indirectly improve the care they provide. Implementing these strategies is expensive and time-consuming, but they tend to be more effective than pharmacological treatment alone in managing psychological distress, burden and psychiatric symptoms in family caregivers.…”

“…More support from mental health services could help caregivers to progress in their emotional trajectory towards coping and improve their caregiving knowledge and skills. This support could positively impact their quality of life, and thus improve the quality of life of the people they care for (Lima-Rodríguez et al, 2022;Zhou et al, 2021). Mental health nurses have a role in patients' and caregivers' education and in the promotion of psychological wellbeing.…”

“…A recent systematic review by Lima-Rodríguez et al (2022) concluded that anxiety, insomnia and depressive symptoms were associated with caregivers' quality of life. In this line, according to a cross-sectional study including 395 caregivers by Zhou et al (2021), the caregivers' psychological wellbeing facilitated active coping and seemed to be related to their caregiving knowledge and skills.…”