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The experience of caring in relatives to patients with serious mental illness: gender differences, health and functioning
Author(s) -
Møller Turid,
Gudde Camilla Buch,
Folden Gunn Eva,
Linaker Olav M.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of caring sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.678
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1471-6712
pISSN - 0283-9318
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-6712.2008.00605.x
Subject(s) - feeling , mental health , mental illness , psychiatry , medicine , clinical psychology , psychology , social psychology
The aims of the study were twofold. First, the study examined the extent to which there are gender differences in the experience of caring in a sample of relatives of patients with serious mental illness. Secondly, the study examined the association of self‐reports of health and functioning with the experience of burden among relatives of patients with serious mental illness. A total of 50 relatives of 32 patients receiving psychiatric treatment for their bipolar or psychotic condition completed the Experience of Caregiving Inventory (ECI) and COOP‐WONCA (a self‐report measure of general state of health and functioning). The study revealed that female relatives had a higher score on eight of 10 ECI subscores, and in both ECI negative and ECI positive. Additionally, the study revealed significant correlations between a higher score on the COOP‐WONCA feeling subscore and the following ECI subscores: stigma (r = 0.304, p < 0.05), problem with services (r = 0.348, p < 0.05), need to back up (r = 0.335, p < 0.05), loss (r = 0.293, p < 0.05) and the total ECI negative subscore (r = 0.343, p < 0.05). We also found a significant correlation between a higher score on the overall health subscore (COOP‐WONCA) and a higher score on problems with services (r = 0.290, p < 0.05). Gender was the strongest predictor of the ECI negative subscore. Neither the COOP‐WONCA subscore physical health, daily activities or social activities correlated significantly with any of the ECI subscores. Our results showed strong associations between poor mental well‐being and caregiver burden. We also found a higher association with gender and the feelings subscore (COOP‐WONCA) on ECI negative than we had expected.