ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
|
Year : 2019 | Volume
: 35
| Issue : 2 | Page : 125-130 |
|
Caregiving experience and marital adjustment in spouses of patients with schizophrenia
Shipra Singh1, Deoraj Sinha2, Nitin B Raut3
1 Department of Psychiatry, Dr. R.M.L. Hospital and PGIMER, Delhi, India 2 Department of Psychiatry, Dr. R.N. Cooper Hospital and HBT Medical College, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India 3 Department of Psychiatry, Lady Hardinge Medical College, Delhi, India
Correspondence Address:
Dr. Deoraj Sinha Department of Psychiatry, Dr. R.N. Cooper Hospital and HBT Medical College, Mumbai, Maharashtra India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/ijsp.ijsp_49_18
|
|
Background: Schizophrenia has far-reaching consequences for both – patients, and spouses as caregivers. Perception of caregiving and marital adjustment appears to depend on various factors and also on each other. Objective: To study caregiving experiences and marital adjustment in spouses of patients having schizophrenia. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was done with spouses of 100 consecutive patients having schizophrenia in a tertiary care teaching institute. Scales used included Experience of caregiving inventory (ECI), Dyadic adjustment scale (DAS), Multidimensional scale of perceived social support (MSPSS) and Positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS). Statistical analysis was done using SPSS-20 software using correlation, regression analysis, t-test and descriptive statistics as applicable. Results: Mean average of total positive score of ECI was higher (2.56) than a negative score; and for DAS, it was highest for consensus (3.07) and minimum for affect expression scale (1.66). Better dyadic adjustment (P-value < 0.001), more age of spouse currently and at the time of marriage, and high social support were positively correlated with positive caregiving experiences (P-value = 0.010, r = 0.257; P-value = 0.04, r = 0.202, P < 0.001, r = 0.610 respectively). Negative caregiving experiences were related to joint family system, higher PANSS scores and higher number of hospitalizations. Conclusion: Factors affecting caregiving experience and marital relationship in schizophrenia need to be identified, and targeting them through psychiatrists or other informal sources, might improve the overall quality of life of spouse as a caregiver and also the patients.
|
|
|
|
[FULL TEXT] [PDF]* |
|
 |
|