Abstract
Current treatment policy has resulted in large numbers of ex-hospitalized psychiatric patients residing with family members in the community. However, little is known about the emotional consequences for family members. This paper focusses on the relationship between level of chronic strain, as indexed by 'objective' and 'subjective' family burden, and extent of psychological distress among family members of ex-hospitalized psychiatric patients. This relationship is assessed within a multivariate model that also considers eventful experience as an additional source of stress and social support and mastery as potential stress mediators. We found the variable of mastery, or sense of personal control, to be by far the most powerful predictor of distress among family members. When mastery was considered in regression analyses the modest correlations between 'objective' and 'subjective' family burden and distress scores disappeared. However, assessment of interactions indicated that strain is independently associated with distress among those subjects who scored relatively low on the mastery scale. Our most general conclusion is that the presence of some patients tends to be associated with substantial psychological costs for some families.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.