Mainland Chinese Family Caregiver Narratives in Mental Illness: Disruption and Continuity

Abstract

This study employs a phenomenological hermeneutic approach to analyse narratives written by mainland Chinese people who care for a family member with serious mental illness. Locating culture at the centre of the analysis, the study explicates and explores the salient themes and subthemes in texts that were originally published in a monthly psychoeducational newsletter. Analysis reveals that mental illness constitutes a catastrophic and disruptive event for the caregivers, for the most part women, and their families. Caregivers are driven by intersecting cultural and state-propagated discourses to exert heroic effort and commitment in order to ensure a full ''recovery'' for the ill family member. In light of the intense stigma surrounding mental illness in Chinese culture, the family member's condition is actively concealed by caregivers. This is to protect healthy family members as much as the ill person. The study concludes that cultural phenomena inform both the sense of disruption experienced by mainland Chinese family caregivers in mental illness and the sense of continuity in their fulfilling of socioculturally prescribed roles.

The Views of Mental Health Manager Towards the Use of a Family Work Model for Psychosis in Guangzhou, China

“…Here two themes emerged. The first was in relation to financial assistance, which were consistent with accounts of Chinese carers elsewhere (Ramsay, 2010;Li and Chui, 2016). In these studies carers identified that caring posed significant burdens due to the cost of treatment and because the person with a mental health problem was often not able to earn.…”

Sociocultural Factors Associated with Caregiver-Psychiatrist Relationship in Taiwan

“… 33 In the Taiwanese/Chinese cultural context, burden of care was associated with caregivers' psychical and mental health concerns, social constraints, and kinship strains. 26 34 35 36 37 These challenges correspond to a review showing significant psychological, emotional, and medical impacts, impaired functioning, and compromised quality of life of family caregivers. 38 Moreover, economic constraints and financial demands were also significant.…”

Patients' and caregivers' knowledge and beliefs about mental illness in mainland China: A systematic review

“…The preference of non-specific activities may partially reflect caregivers' wishes for patients to return to society and re-establish "normal lives." Indeed, previous research has identified that, in mainland China, caregivers usually define patients' recovery from mental illness as not only returning to health but also integrating into society (Ramsay, 2010). Hence, in addition to delivering effective treatments, mental health facilities should also help patients return to society such as providing rehabilitation services and occupational therapy.…”