Barriers to an alliance between family and professional caregivers in chronic schizophrenia

Attitudes and Perceived Barriers to Working with Families of Persons with Severe Mental Illness: Mental Health Professionals’ Perspectives

“…However, other research has shown that mental health professionals' attitudes serve as a major barrier to developing collaborative relationships with families (Kaas et al 2003;Winefield and Burnett 1996). Staff training and education could overcome this barrier by changing staff attitudes and improving their understanding of families' needs as well as their skills for working with families (Craig et al 1999;Kaas et al 2003).…”

“…Research also has consistently documented the devastating impact of mental illness on families in terms of family/caregiver burden, including feelings of grief, loss, guilt, and anger, feeling drained, worry about the ill relative's future, economic burden, social isolation, and stigma (Lefley 1996;Marsh 1999;Pejlert 2001;Reinhard 1994;Maurin and Boyd 1990;Saunders 2003). Families also have reported that they have felt blamed rather than helped by professionals (Fisher et al 1990;Winefield and Burnett 1996). All of these strains resulting from the relative's mental illness severely tax the family members' own coping and adjustment and can negatively affect their physical and mental health (Seltzer et al 1995;Winefield and Harvey 1993).…”

Zwischen Verantwortung und Abgrenzung: Emotionale Belastungen von Angehörigen psychisch Kranker

“…Ich bin nicht so der Typ, der die Gespräche einfordert und dauernd da steht, aber in 26 Wochen ein Gespräch ± ich weiß überhaupt nicht, wie es wei− [37 ± 39], wer− den sie oft nur unvollständig über die Erkrankung, die Behand− lungsmöglichkeiten und die Prognose informiert [40 ± 42]. Die ärztliche Schweigepflicht wird dabei von Angehörigen wie von Ärzten und Therapeuten gleichermaßen als Hindernis empfun− den [43,44].…”

“…68,8 % der in unserer Studie befragten Angehörigen empfinden dies als belastend, da doch gerade sie es sind, die den Erkrankten nach seiner stationären Behandlung daheim weiterbetreuen müssen und therapeutische Entscheidungen mittragen müssen. Sie wollen deshalb von Anbeginn der Be− handlung in ihrer Meinung ernst genommen und in die Behand− lung einbezogen werden[43,44,66]: ¹Ich wünsche mir, dass ich überhaupt mit einbezogen werde! ¼ Auf mich kommt niemand zu, obwohl ich sehr oft bei meiner Frau bin.…”

Family burden and functional assessment in the Swedish CLIPS-study: do staff and relatives agree on individuals with psychotic disorders’ functional status?

“…Altogether our study shows that it is important for staff in the outpatient care to cross barriers that might exist [28,29] and collect information regarding patients function also from relatives, since it could be clinically used both for treatment of the psychotic disorder and for relieving family burden. Previous research also highlights the importance of such a multiple clinical direction regarding the assessment of needs [30], so our findings are not entirely new but further stresses the importance of such a multiple approach.…”