The Effects of Support Groups on Caregivers of Patients with Schizophrenia - Essay Example

?Running head: THE EFFECTS OF SUPPORT GROUPS ON CAREGIVERS OF PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA The effects of support groups on caregivers of patients with schizophrenia Insert Name Insert Course Title Insert Instructor’s Name 25 November 2011 The effects of support groups on caregivers of patients with schizophrenia Introduction This paper is largely based on the study carried out by Kuei-Ru Chou, Su-Yen Liu, and Hsin Chu on ‘the effects of support groups on caregiver of patients with Schizophrenia’ in Taiwan. Schizophrenia is a severe form of mental disorder, which sufferers are irrational and behave in ways that are complex to understand (Frith & Johnstone, 2003). The emotional experience of schizophrenia is extremely distressing both for the sufferer and his or her family and friend, and the monetary costs are quite high. Providing care to Schizophrenic patients may also have deleterious social consequences, since restriction of social activities is the most frequently noted negative impact of caring for mentally impaired patients (Brody, 1989). Care giving roles may increase to the extent that they restructure and largely take over the life of the caregiver. Schizophrenic patients experience at least one of the following four diagnostic categories: affective disorder (disturbance of mood as it occurs in depression or mania); neurotic disorder (stress or anxiety); cases where there was a clear physical cause for the illness such as brain injury; and delusions. Providing care for a person with mental illness is a progressively difficult task for the caregiver due to the debilitating, stressful, and burdensome nature of the tasks undertaken by the caregiver (Chou, Liu & Chu, 2002). Community employs various methods in trying to reduce the burden placed on the caregivers for mental illness patients. These approaches include sitter companions, home health care, adult day programs, educational programs, home nursing visits, and support groups (Chou, Liu & Chu, 2002). Of these approaches, support groups play a crucial role by offering a nursing therapy that addresses caregivers’ psychological needs. Support groups are designed to offer caregivers emotional support, material support, and provide informational and techniques that are useful for the care-giving role. More so, a support group provides a forum for family members to share their feelings about having a schizophrenic relative. Additionally, they encourage caregivers to take personal time away from their relative; exercise, regular excursions out of home, and holidays that provide good vacation from the stress of dealing with someone with mental illness (Veague & Levitt, 2007). Lastly, support groups through diverse approaches can satisfy the family informational needs, develop a variety of coping strategies ensuring effective care is provided for a relative with schizophrenia, and reduction inpatient relapses and readmission. Empirical studies seeking to explain which group interventions model is more effective have been inconsistent and have not indicated whether interventions that are effective in Western countries are effective in the rest of the world (Chien, 2008). Purpose of the study The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of support groups on caregivers of patients with schizophrenia. Most of previous studies on this concept lacked vigorous control and did not use valid and reliable instruments for measuring the long-term effects on caregivers, thus the study aimed at addressing some those shortcomings. Additionally, the study sought to evaluate effectiveness of support groups in Taiwan, since similar studies were mainly undertaken in Western countries. Hypothesis Using a clearly defined intervention strategy, the study attempted to determine whether this type of intervention could reduce the burden and depression in caregivers. The study also uses a control group so that the support group effects could be clearly distinguished from other effects. Method Subjects Suitable subjects meeting criteria to participate in the study were recruited through information from community agencies, social services, home health agencies, and visiting nurses. The subjects went through screening to ensure that they were the primary caregivers of patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. A criterion for selecting primary caregivers involved caring for a family member or loved one with schizophrenia, functioning as a caregiver for at least 2 months, and lastly, residence within the city and rural municipality of Taipei. Research design The study was undertaken through a time series nonequivalent control group design. A table of random numbers was used to select 84subjects for three subgroups for the study, with each batch 14 subjects being assigned to a professionally lead support group or control group. The subjects were then evaluated to generate three sets of data. Evaluations were done before caregivers were randomly assigned to the experimental or control groups, right after the support program and one-month follow up after the support program. The effects of support group were evaluated by change in subjects’ burden level, caregivers’ depression status, and satisfaction about their participation in the program. The professionally led support group had a closed and time-limited format, and each group had 8 weekly sessions of 1.5 hours. Reasons for using the design This design facilitates maintenance of consistency between treatment groups. Additionally, the well-structured professionally led groups provide an appropriate avenue for various discussion components that aid in information, problem solving, coping and support interventions. Hence, these interventions are provided to caregivers within a support group modality. Results First, on average, caregivers spent 20-40% of their time caring for the relatives with schizophrenia. Secondly, the mean score of the care-receivers psychiatric symptom of the support group was 9.6 and 10.1 for the control group. Thirdly, caregivers’ depression score for support group demonstrated greater positive changes than the control group as measured by the BDI (pre-test, post-test, and follow-up for the support group was 10.57, 6.93, and 6.17, respectively. In addition, the caregivers’ level of burden, mean score of the CBI pre-test, post-test, and follow-up for the support group was 83.49, 80.07, and 81.71, respectively, while for control group was 84.06, 84.51, and 84.68, respectively. Lastly, the mean score for caregivers’ satisfaction in the three support groups were 60.6, 60.7, and 61.1, with majority of care-receivers reporting that support group was helpful. Conclusion Results from pre-testing significantly support the observations from previous studies that caregivers suffer from burden and depression. The findings of this study confirm the experimental hypotheses that caregivers did benefit from taking part in a 2-month support group intervention. In essence, compared to a control group of caregivers, members of the support groups showed less depression and sense of burden at the end of intervention period and one-month follow-up. More so, the support group promoted sense of togetherness, validated caregiver’s experiences, and opportunities to give and receive help. Hence, support group interventions are very crucial in reducing the caregiver’s burden and depression. Subjects of this study were deliberately sampled to represent homogeneity with respect to geographic region and diagnosis of schizophrenia. Thus, these results can be challenged especially when applied to a broad population of family caregivers of relatives with mental illness. Overall, due to scope of the study, validity and reliability of instruments measured, this study will be useful for all parties that are interested on matters relating to caregivers of schizophrenia. References Brody, S.J., (1989). The family at risk. In Light, E., Lebowitz, B. (Eds.), Alzheimer’s disease Treatment and Family Stress: Directions for Research. US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Mental Health, Maryland, pp. 2–49. Chou, K., Liu, S. & Chu, H., (2002). The effect of support groups of caregivers of patients with schizophrenia. International Journal of Nursing Studies, Vol. 39, pp.713-722. Chien, W.T. (2008). Effectiveness of Psychoeducation and Mutual Support Group Program for Family Caregivers of Chinese People with Schizophrenia. The Open Nursing Journal, Vol.2, pp 28-39. Frith, C. & Johnstone, E. (2003). Schizophrenia: a very short introduction. Oxford: Oxford Press. Veague, H.B. & Levitt, P. (2007). Schizophrenia. NY: Infobase Publishing. Read More