The effect of coping strategies training on the burden among the family caregivers of People with chronic mental disorders Download PDF

Background: Studies have shown that family caregivers of people with chronic mental disorders experience high levels of burden. Objective: The present study was conducted to examine the effect of coping strategies training on the burden among the family caregivers of people with chronic mental disorders. Materials and Methods: This study is a "non-randomized clinical trial" conducted on 94 caregivers of people with chronic mental disorders. The samples were recruited by convenience sampling method and the eligible ones were put in the intervention and control groups. The data collection tools were demographics questionnaire and Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). The coping strategies were taught in eight 90 minute sessions, during 8 consecutive weeks (once a week) for 2 months in groups. The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics by SPSS 20. Results: The caregivers were mostly female (62.7%) aged between 35 and 55 years. More than 80% of the study subjects were married. Most study subjects in both groups were housewives. In the intervention group, the mean caregivers burden before and two months after start the intervention showed significant difference. In the intervention group, the mean caregivers burden significantly decreased two months after the start intervention, but it has increased in the control group (P<0.001). Conclusions: The findings of this study showed that coping strategies training can be effective on decreasing burden. Therefore it is recommend that the managers of educative medical centers to encourage employees for training of caregivers. So that a step be taken towards reducing the burden of family caregivers of people with chronic mental disorders.