Evaluation of the relationship between family burden, family functioning and coping strategies in schizophrenia

Abstract

Aim: Chronic diseases increase family burden and affect family functioning. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between family burden and socio-demographic characteristics, clinical findings, family functioning and coping attitudes in schizophrenia patients and caregivers. Material and Method: The study include, DSM-IV TR diagnosed 100 schizophrenic patients and 100 of their caregivers who admitted with sequential order to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University Psychiatric outpatient clinic. The subjects were assessed by using a sociodemographic data form, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), and Social Functioning Scale (SFS). Their primary caregivers were assessed using the Coping Attitudes Scale (COPE), the Perceived Family Burden Scale (PFBS) and the Family Assessment Scale (FAD). Results: According to our findings, patients were 57 % of women (n = 57), 43 % of male (n = 43) and the mean age was 37.4 ± 10. Mean illness duration was 14.9 ± 8. The majority of caregivers (63%) were women. The mean age was 47.5 ± 11 years. The mean age of caregiving was 11.4 ± 7 years and the mean time was 12.8 ± 8 hours. Symptoms of the patients, duration of disease, degree of impairment in the functionality of the patients and impaired family functions were found to be related to family burden (p<0.05). Conclusion: In this study, as the severity of positive and negative symptoms of patients with schizophrenia increases, subjective family burden, objective family burden and total burden increase; family burden increases with decreasing social functioning level, positive reinterpretation and development, active coping and plan coping methods they use. In order to reduce family burden in caregivers who are diagnosed with schizophrenia, control of symptoms, improved social functioning of patients, education of caregivers about disease and family functions, positive coping attitudes that caregivers apply to stressful situations, determining treatment target and monitoring the effectiveness of treatment will help