Abstract
BackgroundCaregivers of patients load different kinds of burdens, including emotional distress. Aims of this study were to evaluate both burden and empathy of caregivers who assist patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.MethodsWe selected a sample of 60 caregivers (34 women and 26 men), who assisted patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders treated in our local Community Mental Health Center for a 1-year minimum period. We administered two scales to our sample, Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) and Balanced Emotional Empathy Scale (BEES), and collected data of caregivers and their assisted patients in a 3-month period. Data were statistically analyzed.ResultsWe reported a mean ZBI score of 49.68 (±15.03 SD) and a mean BEES score of 14.35 (±9.05 SD), indicating the perception of moderate-severe burden and low level of empathy, respectively. The analysis of internal consistency confirmed the good reliability of both ZBI (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.90) and BEES (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.77). The correlation between the two scales was not statistically significant at Spearman test. At our multiple linear regression, many variables of both caregiver and patient showed a significant correlation with the ZBI score. In particular, not living with the assisted patient and female gender of caregiver potentially decreased the burden, whereas clinical severity of assisted patient and two caregiver conditions, middle school education and spouse relationship with patient, could worsen the burden. We highlighted two positive statistically significant correlations between the total score of BEES and caregiver characteristics: being spouse and not living with assisted patient.ConclusionsOur study highlights that the caregiver burden of patients with severe psychiatric disorders is high and is associated with low emotional empathy experienced by caregivers, probably due to a defensive psychological mechanism. The conditions of spouse and cohabitation can concomitantly increase both empathy and burden in caregivers.
Highlights
Caregivers of patients load different kinds of burdens, including emotional distress
The researcher, before collecting data, prepared a list of patients affected by schizophrenia spectrum disorder treated in the Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) who were assisted by a caregiver, in accordance with the indications of physicians and nurses of CMHC reported in medical records
At our stepwise model of multiple linear regression between the total Balanced Emotional Empathy Scale (BEES) scores and all selected variables, only two variables showed a direct statistically significant correlation with the scale: “caregiver relationship as husband/wife” and “home environment: living with the assisted patient and others” (Table 5). This observational study was aimed at evaluating the emotional burden and empathy among caregivers of patients affected by schizophrenia spectrum disorders, evaluated by means of two scales, Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) and BEES, respectively
Summary
Caregivers of patients load different kinds of burdens, including emotional distress. The financial resources for community-based interventions are limited [5,6,7], most severe mental disorders compromise many areas of an individual’s life, such as interpersonal relationship, work and/or self-care [8, 9]. This change in health care organization has permitted new rehabilitative programs for the patient at the cost of an increase in responsibilities for families of patients affected by severe psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia [10]. When this relationship is correct and the caregiver is well aware of his/her role, assisted patients become more adherent to treatments [18]
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