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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 2/2012

01-02-2012 | Original Paper

Factors associated with caregiver psychological distress in chronic schizophrenia

Authors: Charalampos Mitsonis, Eleni Voussoura, Nikolaos Dimopoulos, Vassiliki Psarra, Evangelia Kararizou, Eleni Latzouraki, Iannis Zervas, Maria-Nefeli Katsanou

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 2/2012

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Abstract

Background and aims

Caregivers of patients with schizophrenia experience increased levels of psychological distress. This study investigated the impact of caring for patients with chronic schizophrenia on the mental health status of the caregivers and described the relationship between various socio-demographic and clinical characteristics and caregiving psychological distress.

Methods

The study was carried out at the Psychiatric Hospital of Athens. The Symptom Check List Revised (SCL-90-R) was administered to 87 caregivers of chronic schizophrenia patients and 90 healthy controls. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was administered to schizophrenia patients in order to assess illness severity.

Results

The group of caregivers scored higher on the majority of symptom dimensions of the SCL-90-R than the control group. Clinical features of schizophrenia, i.e. duration of illness and PANSS positive and negative symptoms significantly predicted caregiving psychological distress. Caregivers’ and patients’ socio-demographic characteristics were not associated with caregivers’ distress, with the exception of caregivers’ sex: female caregivers experienced significantly higher levels of psychological distress than males.

Conclusions

The study suggests that clinical features of schizophrenia influence distress levels in caregivers of patients with chronic schizophrenia. The stronger predictors of distress appear to be female caregiver’s gender, duration of illness as well as positive and negative symptomatology.
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Metadata
Title
Factors associated with caregiver psychological distress in chronic schizophrenia
Authors
Charalampos Mitsonis
Eleni Voussoura
Nikolaos Dimopoulos
Vassiliki Psarra
Evangelia Kararizou
Eleni Latzouraki
Iannis Zervas
Maria-Nefeli Katsanou
Publication date
01-02-2012
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 2/2012
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-010-0325-9

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