Predictors of Family Stress in Taking Care of Patients with Schizophrenia
- Publication date
- Publisher
Abstract
Introduction: Taking care of schizophrenia patients is challenging and causes
stress for the family involved. The study was conducted to identify the predictors of
family stress present when taking care of a patient with schizophrenia. The ABCX
Stress Theory of Hill was used as the theoretical framework.
Methods: This study used a correlational design. The sample was 137 families who
were caring for patients with schizophrenia at the Menur Mental Hospital,
Surabaya, Indonesia. The sample was obtained by way of purposive sampling. The
data was collected by a questionnaire and analysed by multiple regression to
determine the relationship of the family’s structure, family knowledge, the burden
of care, stigma, social support, the patient's illness duration, the patient’s frequency
of relapse and the patient's severity level with family stress.
Results: The results showed that the family’s stress was predicted by the family’s
structure (p=0.029), stigma (p=0.000), the burden of care (p=0.000), and the
patient’s frequency of relapse (p=0.005). The burden of care was the strongest
predictor of family stress (Beta= 0.619).
Conclusion: The patient's frequency of relapse and stigma were other kinds of
family stressor. The stressors stimulated a negative perception, called the care
burden. Limited adequacy of the family structure-function will inhibit the family in
using other resources, creating family stress. Nurses may develop an assessment
format that consists of the family stress predictors in order to create a nursing care
plan specific to reframing the techniques of family stress management