Relationship between Mental Health and Burden among Primary Caregivers of Outpatients with Schizophrenia

Abstract

There is growing recognition that caring for a patient with schizophrenia often results in high levels of perceived burden and poorer overall mental health for caregivers. A quantitative cross-sectional design and standardized instruments were used to collect data from 355 primary caregivers of adults in outpatient care with schizophrenia in China. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the association between caregiver burden and mental health among primary caregivers and whether this association is influenced by personality, coping style, and family functioning, based on a diathesis-stress perspective. Goodness-of-fit indices (χ /df = 1.406, GFI = 0.919, CFI = 0.957, etc.) confirmed that the modified model fit the data well. In line with the diathesis-stress model, and with this study's hypotheses, we found that caregiver burden was significantly related to mental health outcomes directly. The final model showed that personality traits, coping style, and family function influenced the relationship between caregiver burden and mental health. The neuroticism personality traits have a direct effect on caregiver burden and family functioning in this sample. Coping style had a direct effect on the caregiver burden, and family functioning had a direct effect on the caregiver burden. Our final model about primary caregivers can be applied clinically to predict mental health outcomes from caregiver burden.

A cross-sectional study on spouse and parent differences in caregiving experiences of people living with schizophrenia in rural China

“…For instance, the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys [6] have shown higher caregiver burden for spouses than parents across high-and upper-middle-income countries, yet higher caregiver burden for parents than spouses from lower-or middleincome countries [29]. One study on Chinese caregivers of PLS found that parent caregivers reported higher burden than spouse caregivers [30], while another study of African caregivers of PLS showed no significant difference in caregiver burden between spouse and parent caregivers [31]. These results indicate that caregiver burden may be culture-dependent and vary by country.…”

Generalities About Caring Mental Illness and Impact on Family Caregivers in Chinese Community: A Ten Years Narrative Review Study

“…The female caregivers were seen to be significantly vulnerable of presenting higher burden in all of its form as compared to male caregivers. In summary this study found that the anxiety was higher in caregivers of male patients than caregivers of female patients (52.7% vs 38.1%, P=0.012); female caregivers were more likely to suffer from depression (51.2% vs 38.6%, P = 0.031) and anxiety (51.6% vs 38.1%, P=0.020) than male caregivers [21].…”

“…The assessment of burden as associated with other factors such as personality the coping style and family functioning was conducted by Yu, et al [21]. In this this study the high level of burden was directly associated with personality traits especially neuroticism personality traits and the coping style ( diathesis), and the family functioning was also found to be influencing factor of high burden and burnout [21].…”

“…Always in rural china, Yu, et al [21]. Have linked the high burden and distress with gender differences.…”

Determining care burden and psychiatric symptom level in caregiver of schizophrenia patient

“…The study results are similar to the literature. 33 Negative self-perception score is lower in the caregivers whose patient hospitalized first-time (Table 3). In conclusion, it is suggested that the caregiver of the patients who are hospitalized for the first time had spent less time in care as compared with the other patient relatives.…”