Role of Psycho-Education in Burden of Care, Family Attitude and Stigma in Spouses of Persons with Schizophrenia

Families of schizophrenia experience substantial burden of care, express hostility and criticisms towards the patients and get stigmatized towards mental illness. It adversely affects family environment and quality of life of the caregivers. Family intervention in various forms improves the burden and quality of life of not only the caregivers but also the patients. The present study evaluate the efficacy of a specified psychoeducation protocol on burden of care, stigma and family attitude in caregivers of persons with schizophrenia. A pre-post between group design was used. Caregivers of 40 schizophrenic patients were delivered the psychoeducaiton protocol and 40 caregivers of schizophrenic patients served as control were assessed on at baseline and follow up on Burden Assessment Schedule (Thara et al., 1998), Family Attitude Scale (Kavanagh et al., 1997). Perceived Devaluation-Discrimination Scale (Link et al., 1987, 2001). The results revealed significant positive gains in all the three measured variables in the study group as compared to the control group suggesting the efficacy of the psychoeducation protocol in reducing burden of care, stigma and hostility and criticisms in families of persons with schizophrenia.