Effects of Counseling Intervention on Awareness and Burden of Family Caregivers of Patients with Bipolar Disorder

Abstract

Bipolar disorder is a recurrent and long term mental illness that can seriously affect the lives of patients and their families. This study aimed to investigate the effect of counseling intervention sessions on caregivers' awareness and burden regarding their patients with bipolar disorder; through improving their knowledge, attitudes and practices toward their patients with bipolar disorder and reducing their burden. The sample included 100 caregivers' accompanying their patients with bipolar disorder, who attended to the Out-Patient Clinic in Al-Abbassia Mental Health Hospital. The tools used in the study were 1) Interviewing questionnaire to assess the caregivers' awareness, which covered socio demographic data about caregivers and their patients with bipolar disorder, patient history of illness, questions to assess the knowledge of caregivers about bipolar disorder; questions to assess caregivers' positive and negative attitudes toward their patients with bipolar disorder; and questions to measure their practices toward patients with bipolar disorder. 2) Burden Interview Questionnaire to assess the level of burden of caregivers' (physical, psychological, social and financial). This questionnaire was applied before and after the counseling sessions. The results of this study showed improvements, with highly statistically significant differences between before and after application of the counseling intervention program regarding to caregivers' awareness (knowledge, attitudes and practices) and their burden toward their patients with bipolar disorder. The study recommended that counseling clinic for family caregivers of patients with bipolar disorder is needed to offer appropriate information and support through open dialogues between caregivers and health professionals in order to plan for intervention and guide families to know how to deal with their patient’s problems and disabilities.