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Factors Associated With Perceived Burden, Resourcefulness, and Quality of Life in Female Family Members of Adults With Serious Mental Illness

Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, jaz{at}case.edu

Abir K. Bekhet

Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, Alexandria University, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria, Egypt

M. Jane Suresky

Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University

BACKGROUND: Each year, 54 million American adults are affected by serious mental illness. Most of these persons depend on female family members for support or assistance, and unless these women are resourceful, they may experience considerable burden, stigma by association, depressive thoughts, and poor quality of life. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we examined the associations between characteristics of female family members (age, race, education), adults with serious mental illness (age, diagnosis), and the family situation (relationship, living arrangements, care provided) and caregivers' burden, stigma, depressive cognitions, resourcefulness, and quality of life. STUDY DESIGN: In this descriptive, cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of 60 female relatives of adults with serious mental illness provided demographic information and completed established measures of the study variables. RESULTS: We discuss associations between contextual variables and process regulators, resourcefulness, and quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: The results highlight the importance of targeting interventions for caregivers of adults with serious mental illness who are parents, caregivers of younger seriously mentally ill persons in earlier stages of diagnosis, and caregivers of persons who have bipolar disorder. J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc, 2008; 14(2), 125-135. DOI: 10.1177/1078390308315612

Key Words: caregiver burden • stigma by association • resourcefulness • quality of life • mental illness

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