AbstractSchizophrenia is a major mental illness that not only adversely affects an individual, but also has an adverse impact on his or her family members and caregivers. Therefore, family members of clients with schizophrenia are placed in constant stress, due to never ending and ever growing problems. Family members of schizophrenic client calls for extra adjustment and coping to deal with the ongoing stress, hence this study was conducted to assess the level of stress and coping strategies among family members of clients with schizophrenia.
Methods: Descriptive survey approach was adapted to collect data, structured interview schedule was developed and 50 family members of clients with schizophrenia based on purposive sampling technique were interviewed at rehabilitation centres of Pune city.
Results: The findings showed that the overall stress score of respondents was 50.9 percent and the overall coping strategies score was found to be 23.8 percent. The highest stress score found in the dimension of social stress (73%) and the lowest in physical stress (17%). With respect to coping strategies, majority (51%) of respondents had used escape avoidance coping strategies and 6.7% used problem focused coping. Study reveals that higher the level of stress lower the coping strategies (r = –0.344*, p < 0.05).
Interpretation and Conclusion: Family members of clients with schizophrenia suffer from moderate stress with few coping strategies. These results suggest that close monitoring of caregivers’ mental health and the provision of psychoeducation, family intervention programmes and psychosocial support may reduce the stress among family members of patients with schizophrenia by adopting better coping strategies.
Keywords: Schizophrenia; Stress; Coping Strategies; Mental Illness; Rehabilitation Centres.
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