A study to assess the relationship between stigma and expressed emotion among the primary care givers of persons with schizophrenia attending outpatient department of Lokopriyo Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur

Abstract

Background: Mental illness is a condition that impacts a person's thinking, feeling or mood and may affect his or her ability to relate to others and function on a daily basis. Among various types of mental illnesses schizophrenia is common disorder affecting approximately 1% of any given adult population. Stigma surrounding schizophrenia restraints the patient and family members to access the treatment facilities and type of support they need to manage their illness. It can also disturb the family environment which can often give rise to expressed emotion. Expressed emotion refers to a global index of particular emotions, attitudes and behaviours expressed by relatives of a family member diagnosed with schizophrenia. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between stigma and expressed emotion among the primary care givers of persons with schizophrenia. Materials and Methods: Descriptive co relational research design was used. The sample comprised of 60 primary caregivers of persons with schizophrenia attending OPD of LGBRIMH, Tezpur which was selected by using purposive sampling technique. Two standardized tool (Stigma subscale of Family Interview Schedule and Family Attitude Scale) and socio demographic data sheet was used for patient and primary care giver. Results: Finding showed majority of the sample i.e. 65% (n = 39) obtained the stigma score below 10.83 (mean score) and only 35% (n = 21) obtained the stigma score above10.83 (mean score).This finding showed that majority of the primary care givers has low stigma having a patient with psychiatric illness in their family. It was also showed that majority of the sample i.e. 66.7% have obtained expressed emotion score below 29.68 (mean score) and 33.3% have obtained expressed emotion score above 29.68 (mean score).This finding showed that the majority of the primary care givers has low expressed emotion towards a family member having schizophrenia. There was significant positive correlation found between stigma and expressed emotion among the primary care givers of persons with schizophrenia (calculated value was found to be 0.587 which was higher than the tabulated value at 0.01 level of significance). Conclusion: It showed that if stigma increases, the expressed emotion among the primary care givers towards the patient also increases.