PurposeTo assess the caregiving burden and its associated factors among Eritrean families of persons living with schizophrenia.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted for 146 caregivers with their respective known patients with schizophrenia of Saint Mary's Neuropsychiatric National Referral Hospital (SMNNRH). Data were collected using Pai and Kapur's Family Burden Interview Schedule (FBIS), the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and self-prepared sociodemographic sheet. Data were analysed using SPSS V.21. Descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multiple regression analysis was employed to analyse the data.ResultsIn this study, 84 (57.5%) were males and 62 (42.5%) were females. The mean age was 33.96+10.37 (median=31) for the patients and 46.76+13.96 (median=48) for the caregivers. Total mean objective score was 29.47+6.67. Family caregivers who were single (F=3.224, p<0.005, effect size (ES)=0.064), had educational level at elementary (F=5.647 p=0.001, ES=0.11), had low monthly income (t=7.727, p<0.001, ES=0.01) and were dissatisfied with family support (t=2.889, p<0.01, ES=0.01) experienced greater burden relative to the counterparts. Caregiver's age (β=0.156; p<0.05), duration of caregiving (β=0.131; p<0.05), monthly household family income (β=−0.298; p<0.001), history of self-injury (β=0.151; p=0.05), positive scale (β=0.344; p<0.001), negative scale (β=0.278; p<0.001) and general psychopathological scale (β=0.146; p<0.01) emerged as significant predictors of objective burden.ConclusionsFamily caregivers of a person living with schizophrenia experience a significant burden of care. Our findings highlight that there is a need of strengthening social and psychological support to reduce the caregiving burden.

Applying recent advances in machine learning techniques, we propose a hybrid model to forecast the Dubai financial market general index. Particularly, we exploit a deep belief networks model that applies a restricted Boltzmann machine as its main component in combination with momentum effects. We also introduce an innovative way of selecting the inputs by using momentum effects. With this hybrid methodology we generate a prediction model along with a comparison of three different linear models. The results obtained from the hybrid model are better and more stable than the three linear models. The findings support that the hybrid model we applied will find their way into finance because of their reliability and good performance.

The primary focus of the present study is to investigate the anxiety level of Saudi undergraduate students learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL). An attempt has been made to find out various possible causes, sources, and effects of foreign language anxiety on Saudi EFL learners. The study aims to answer the main question; if this anxiety affects the learning process of Saudi EFL learners positively or adversely. The study demonstrates some models and strategies related to causes and effects of anxiety. These models and strategies can be applied as potential management tools and strategies for reducing the level of anxiety encountered by Saudi EFL learners. The researchers employed quantitative and qualitative approaches to collecting and analyzing the data. A 33-item questionnaire adapted from Horwitz et al (1986) distributed among 271 subjects has been used as the main tool for the data collection. All the four basic language skills were tested to elicit the data for measuring the level of anxiety in Saudi students learning English as a foreign language. In addition to the above quantitative approach, some semi-structured interviews were conducted with both EFL learners and teachers. The outcome of the present study can significantly contribute to the development of the quality of learning English as a Foreign Language. It can also serve as an effective mechanism to solve problematic issues among EFL learners in general and Saudi EFL learners in particular. The study offers to introduce researchers and teachers with certain reliable scales for the evaluation of Saudi EFL learners' progress in their learning process. Five-point (5-point) Likert scale is one of these major scales used in the present study.

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