Family burden and coping strategies in schizophrenia: are key relatives really different to other relatives?

Abstract

Subjective and objective burden, psychiatric symptoms and coping strategies in a sample of 90 key relatives and other relatives of patients with schizophrenia, living in two European countries, were explored by means of well-validated questionnaires. The levels of burden on key relatives did not differ significantly from those on other relatives. Moreover, the risk of developing psychiatric symptoms was similar in the two subject groups at both centres. Significant correlations were found between key relatives and other relatives concerning the adoption of emotion-focused coping strategies. These data contrast with the current belief that family burden in schizophrenia is mainly a burden of key relatives, and they emphasize the need to provide supportive interventions for as many relatives as possible.

A Comparison of Levels of Burden in Indian and White Parents With a Son or Daughter With Schizophrenia

“…Only one third of the Indian sample and one fifth of the White sample experienced mild distress measured with the GHQ. This proportion of distressed Indian parents was lower than some caregiver burden studies in mental illness (Bibou-Nakou et al, 1997) and comparable with others (Magliano et al, 1999).…”

Development and Validation of a Coping Scale for Caregivers in Malaysia

“…However, it is considered to be similar to 'Positive communication' in the FCQ, which is a problem-focused strategy. A previous research found that 'Positive communication' is one of the commonly-used strategies among main and side caregivers (19). This 'Caring for patient' strategy involves giving more attention and speaking in good ways to the patients during stressful times, unlike other strategies which involve actions or activities that focus more on the caregivers themselves.…”

Efficacy of psychoeducational family intervention for bipolar I disorder: A controlled, multicentric, real-world study

“…For each patient, one or more key-relatives could be recruited. Key-relatives were defined as those spending the highest number of hours in contact with the patient during the last year (Magliano et al, 1999).…”