Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T05:47:40.910Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Family disruption, economic hardship and psychological distress in schizophrenia: can they be measured?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

M. Madianos ,
M. Economou ,
O. Dafni ,
E. Koukia ,
A. Palli  and
E. Rogakou
M. Madianos*
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Nursing, Zografou Community Mental Health Center, University of Athens, 42, Davaki Pindou Street, Athens 157 73, Greece
M. Economou
Affiliation:
University Mental Health Research Institute, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
O. Dafni
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Nursing, Zografou Community Mental Health Center, University of Athens, 42, Davaki Pindou Street, Athens 157 73, Greece
E. Koukia
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Eginition Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece
A. Palli
Affiliation:
University Mental Health Research Institute, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
E. Rogakou
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Byron Kessariani Community Mental Health Center, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
*
*Corresponding author. Email addresses:madianos@nurs.uoa.gr
Get access

Abstract

This study examined the dimensions of burden perceived by key-relatives of patients suffering from schizophrenia spectrum disorder by the development of an instrument, the Family Burden Scale (FBS) and the underlying predictors. One hundred and seventy one primary caregivers, living with 158 patients suffering from chronic psychotic illness and maintained on community basis in Athens area, were interviewed by the use of FBS supplemented by the Family Atmosphere Scale and GHQ. Construction procedure and factor analysis of FBS produced a scale of 23 items in four factors, three of them measuring objective and the fourth one, subjective burden. The scale was also proved to be reliable and valid. Forty-five percent of primary caregivers reported high levels of burden. Psychological impairment (high GHQ scores) was related with high levels of burden and negative family atmosphere. Previous admissions and duration of illness were also found to predict burden. The results suggest that FBS differentiates objective from subjective burden. Psychological well being of carers is affected by the dimensions of perceived burden.

Keywords

SchizophreniaBurdenPsychometricsGreece
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 19 , Issue 7 , November 2004 , pp. 408 - 414
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2004

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bibou-Nakou, I, Dikaiou, M, Bairactaris, C. Psychosocial dimensions of family burden among two groups of carers looking after psychiatric patients. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 1997;32:104–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Creer, C, Wing, J. Living with a schizophrenic patient. Br J Hospital Med 1975;14:73–82.Google Scholar
Endicott, J, Spitzer, R, Fleiss, J, Cohen, J. The Global Assessment Scale: a procedure for measuring overall severity of psychiatric disturbance. Arch Gen Psychiat 1975;33:766–71.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fadden, G, Bebbington, P, Kuipers, L. The burden of care: the impact of functional psychiatric illness on the patient’s family. Br J Psychiatry 1987;150:85–92.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Garyfallos, G, Karastergiou, A, Adamopoulos, A. Greek version of the General Health Questionnaire: accuracy of translation and validity. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1991;84:371–3.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Goldberg, D. The detection of psychiatric illness by questionnaire. London: Oxford University Press; 1972.Google Scholar
Grad, J, Sainsbury, P. Mental illness and the family. Lancet 1963; I:544–547.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hall, P, Brockington, J, Eiseman, M, Madianos, M, Maj, M. Difficult to place psychiatric patients. Br Med J 1991;302:1150.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hatfield, A. Help-seeking behaviour in families of schizophrenics. Am J Community Psychol 1979;7:563–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hoening, J, Hamilton, M. The desegregation of the mentally ill. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul; 1969.Google Scholar
Joyce, J, Leese, M, Szmukler, G. The Experience of Caregiving Inventory: further evidence. Soc Psychiatr Epidemiol 2000;35:185–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Laidlaw, TM, Coverdale, JH, Falloon, IR, Kydd, RR. Caregivers’ stresses when living together or apart from patients with chronic schizophrenia. Community Mental Health J 2002;38:303–10.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Levene, JE, Lancee, WJ, Seeman, MV. The perceived family burden scale: measurement and validation. Schizophrenia Res 1996;22:151–7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Loukissa, DA. Family burden in chronic mental illness: a review of research studies. J Adv Nurs 1995;21:248–55.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Madianos, M. The Global Assessment Scale: its reliability and validity in the Greek population. Encephalos 1987;24:79–85 [in Greek].Google Scholar
Madianos, M, Economou, M. Schizophrenia and family rituals: measuring family rituals among schizophrenics and “normal”. Eur Psychiatry 1994;9:45–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Madianos, M, Gournas, G, Tomaras, V, Kapsali, A, Stefanis, CN. Family atmosphere on the course of chronic scizophrenia treated in a community mental health center: a prospective longitudinal study. Stefanis, C, Rabavilas, A editors. New York: Human Sciences Press; 1987. p. 246–56.Google Scholar
Madianos, M, Madianou, D. The Greek family paradigm: implications for family therapy. Neur Psychiatria 1991;12:132–8.Google Scholar
Madianos, M, Madianou, D. The effects of long-term community care on relapse and adjustment of persons with chronic schizophrenia. Int J Ment Health 1992;21:37–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Madianos, M, Madianou, D, Vlachonikolis, J, Stefanis, C. Attitudes towards mental illness in the Athens area: implications for community mental health intervention. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1987;75:158–65.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Magliano, L, Marasco, C, Fiorillo, A, et al. The impact of professional and social network support on the burden of families of patients with scizophrenia in Italy. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2002;106:291–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Magliano, L, Fadden, G, Madianos, M, et al. Burden on the families of patients with schizophrenia: results of the BIOMED I study. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 1998;33:405–12.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Magliano, L, Fadden, G, Fiorillo, A, et al. Family burden and coping strategies in schizophrenia: are key relatives really different to other relatives? Acta Psychiatr Scand 1999;99:10–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Magliano, L, Fadden, G, Economou, M. Family burden and coping strategies in schizophrenia: 1-year follow-up data from the BIOMED I study. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2000;35:109–15.Google ScholarPubMed
Noh, S, Avison, WR. Spouses of discharge psychiatric patients. Implications for the mental health of family members. Soc Sci Med 1988; 25:263–71.Google Scholar
Noh, S, Turner, RS. Living with psychiatric patients: implications for the mental health of family members. Soc Sci Med 1987;25:269–71.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nunnally, JC. Psychometric theory. New York: Mc Graw Hill; 1967.Google Scholar
Pai, S, Kapur, RL. The burden on the family of a psychiatric patient: development of an interview schedule. Br J Psychiatry 1981;138: 332–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Platt, S. Measuring the burden of psychiatric illness on the family: an evaluation of some rating scales. Psychol Med 1985;15:383–93.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rosenheck, R, Cramer, J, Jurgis, G. Clinical and psychopharmacologi-cal factors influencing family burden in refractory schizophrenia. J Clin Psychiatry 2000;61:671–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Salleh, MR. The burden of care of schizophrenic in Malay families. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1994;89:180–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Samele, C, Manning, N. Level of caregiver burden among relatives of the mentally ill in South Verona. Eur Psychiatry 2000;15:196–204.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schene, AH. Objective and subjective dimensions of family burden. Toward an integrative framework for research. Soc Psychiatry Psychi-atr Epidemiol 1990;25:289–97.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schene, AH, Tessler, RC, Gamache, GM. Instruments measuring family or caregiver burden in severe mental illness. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 1994;29:228–40.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schene, A, Vijngaarden Van, B, Koeter, MWJ.Family caregiving in schizophrenia: domains and distress. Schizophrenia Bull 1998;24: 609–18.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Solomon, P, Draine, J. Subjective burden among family members of mentally ill adults: relation to stress, coping and adaptation. Am J Orthopsychiatry 1995;65:419–27.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
SPSS 8.0 for windows. Chicago: SPSS inc. 1998.Google Scholar
Szmukler, GI, Burgess, P, Hermann, H, et al. Caring for relatives with serious mental illness: the development of the experienced of caregiving inventory. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 1996;31:137–48.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Test, MA, Stein, LI. Alternatives tomental hospital treatment and social cost. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1980;37:409–12.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tomaras, V, Vlachonikolis, IG, Stefanis, CN, Madianos, M. The effect of individual psychosocial treatment on the family atmosphere of schizophrenic patients. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 1988;23: 256–61.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tucker, C, Barker, A, Gregoire, A. Living with schizophrenia: caring for a person with severe mental illness. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 1998;33:305–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
W.H.O. ICD-10 Classification of mental and behavioural disorders with glossary and diagnostic criteria for research. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingston; 1994.Google Scholar
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.