Relation Between the Burden of Caregiving, Submissive Behaviors, and Depressive Symptoms Among Caregivers of Psychiatric Patients

Abstract

Background:In providing care for psychiatric patients, caregivers play a critical role. Increased caregiver's burden may increase their susceptibility to mental disorders and demonstrate submissive behavioral patterns, which are one of the least efficient coping strategies and may have a mediating effect on future depression. Aim: A study designed for exploring the relation between the burden of caregiving, submissive behaviors, and depressive symptoms among caregivers of psychiatric patients. Subjects and Method: The study used a descriptive correlational research design. 148 caregivers of psychiatric patients at the time of the visit from the inpatient department and also from the outpatient clinics in Port-Said Psychiatric Health Hospital were included in the study. To gather the necessary data, three instruments were used. Instrument I: Zairt Care Giver Burden Scale, Instrument II: Submissive Acts Scale, Instrument III: Beck Depression Inventory, additionally, personal and clinical data questionnaire. Results: According to the findings, the majority of psychiatric patients' caregivers had a severe level of burden, more than half of them had a high level of submissive behavior, and almost all of them had a severe level of depression. Conclusion: A statistically significant positive correlation was found between caregiving burden, submissive behaviors, and depressive symptoms among the studied caregivers of psychiatric patients at p ≤ 0.05. Recommendations: Appropriate interventions could reduce the burden on caregivers and teach effective coping approaches which had a beneficial impact on depressive symptoms among caregivers of psychiatric patients.

Effect of Positive Thinking Skills Training Program on Psychological Adjustment among Psychiatric Patients’ Caregivers

“…A study done at Assiut University Hospital showed most study caregivers of psychiatric patients (92.5%) suffered from moderate to severe 62.6% while severe burden equivalent to 29.9% (9). Another study done at Port Said Mental Health Hospital estimated that 83.1% of psychiatric patients' caregivers have a severe level of burden and effect on their psychological well-being (10).…”

“…The positive thinking scale was developed by (13) in the Arabic language to assess individual positive thinking. It consists of 30 items and is divided into ve subscales each subscale includes six items as follows: The rst subscale is optimism and general satisfaction (1-6), the second subscale is emotional control and emotional intelligence (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12), the third subscale is acceptance of the others and take responsibility (13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18), the fourth subscale is forgiveness and self-acceptance (19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24), nally the ve subscale is a love of learning and taking risks (25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30).…”

“…The psychological adjustment scale was developed by (15) in the Arabic language to assess individual adjustment to psychological stressors. The psychological adjustment scale consisted of 40 items and was divided into four subscales, the rst subscale assesses personal adjustment (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9), and the second subscale assesses social adjustment (10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20). The third subscale assesses family adjustment (21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30), and the fourth subscale assesses emotional adjustment (31-40).…”

“…Positive items: 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 12, 15, 16, 18, 19, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 32, 34, 35, 40. Negative( reversed) items: 2, 4, 5,9,10,11,13,14,17,20,21,24,26,28,30,33,36,37,38,39.…”