Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T02:08:06.687Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Caregiver psychoeducation for schizophrenia: Is gender important?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

Stephen McWilliams ,
Shane Hill ,
Nora Mannion ,
Anthony Kinsella  and
Eadbhard O'Callaghan
Stephen McWilliams*
Affiliation:
DETECT Early Intervention in Psychosis Service, Research, 1 Marine Terrace, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, Ireland
Shane Hill
Affiliation:
Cluain Mhuire Service, Newtownpark Avenue, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland
Nora Mannion
Affiliation:
Cluain Mhuire Service, Newtownpark Avenue, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland
Anthony Kinsella
Affiliation:
DETECT Early Intervention in Psychosis Service, Research, 1 Marine Terrace, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, Ireland
Eadbhard O'Callaghan
Affiliation:
DETECT Early Intervention in Psychosis Service, Research, 1 Marine Terrace, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, Ireland Cluain Mhuire Service, Newtownpark Avenue, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland Dept. of Psychiatry, University College Dublin, Donnybrook, Dublin 4, Ireland
*
*Corresponding author. Tel.: +35312366730; fax: +35312366739. E-mail addresses: , [email protected] (S. McWilliams), shane. [email protected] (S. Hill), [email protected] (N. Mannion), akinsella@rcsi. ie (A. Kinsella), [email protected] (E. O'Callaghan).
Get access

Abstract

Introduction

Females care for individuals with chronic illness more commonly than males and have different attitudes to illness. Additionally, they experience greater burden and reduced quality of life, when compared to their male counterparts. Since knowledge has been shown to be related to burden, we sought to determine whether there were gender differences in knowledge acquisition during a six-week caregiver psychoeducation programme (CPP).

Methods

Caregivers of people with schizophrenia completed a 23-item adapted version of the self-report Family Questionnaire (FQ) before and after the six-week CPP. Using a Generalized Linear Mixed Model, we studied the differences in proportions of correct answers before and after the programme by gender.

Results

Over a 46-month study period, 115 caregivers (58% female) participated in the programme. There was an overall improvement in knowledge with an effect size of 1.12. The improvement was statistically significant (P < 0.001) within each of six specific areas of knowledge. However, female caregivers gained more knowledge overall and specifically regarding signs and symptoms, recovery and especially caregiver support. Knowledge gains regarding medication were roughly equal, while male caregivers gained more knowledge about risk factors.

Discussion

Our findings indicate that there are gender differences in the amount and type of knowledge gained during a CPP, with female caregivers showing greater knowledge acquisition than their male counterparts in most areas. Interventions designed to assist caregivers may be improved by targeting areas of knowledge specific to each gender. Such an approach might further reduce burden and improve the outcome for their relatives affected by schizophrenia.

Keywords

SchizophreniaPsychosisCaregiverGenderPsychoeducationKnowledge
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 22 , Issue 5 , July 2007 , pp. 323 - 327
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier Masson SAS 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Argimon, J.M., Limon, E., Vila, J., Cabezas, C.Health-related quality of life in caregivers of patients with dementia. Fam Pract 2004;21(4):454–457.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Birchwood, M.J., Smith, J.V.Specific and non-specific effects of educational intervention with families living with a schizophrenic relative. Br J Psychiatry 1987;150:645–652.Google Scholar
Blackburn, C., Read, J., Hughes, N.Caregivers and the digital divide: factors affecting Internet use among caregivers in the UK. Health Soc Care Community 2005;13(3):201–210.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Burns, A.The burden of Alzheimer's disease. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2000;3(7):31–38.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Butler, S.S., Turner, W., Kaye, L.W., Ruffin, L., Downey, R.Depression and caregiver burden among rural elder caregivers. J Gerontol Soc Work 2005;46(1):47–63.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carmichael, F., Charles, S.The opportunity costs of informal care: does gender matter?. J Health Econ 2003;22(5):781–803.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cassidy, E., Hill, S., O'Callaghan, E.Efficacy of psychoeducational intervention on improving relatives’ knowledge about schizophrenia and improving hospitalization. Eur Psychiatry 2001;16(8):446–450.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Coe, R.It's the effect size, stupid: what effect size is and why it is important. Presented at the Annual Conference of the British Educational Research Association, University of Exeter, England, 12–14 September 2002.Google Scholar
Donaldson, C., Burns, A.Burden of Alzheimer's disease: helping the patient and caregiver. J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 1999;12(1):21–28.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Donaldson, C., Tarrier, N., Burns, A.Determinants of carer stress in Alzheimer's disease. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 1998;13(4):248–256.3.0.CO;2-0>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Foldemo, A., Gullberg, M., Ek, A.C., Bogren, L.Quality of life and burden in parents of outpatients with schizophrenia. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2005;40(2):133–138.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
GENSTAT, WINDOWS. 8th ed.VSN International Ltd; 2005.Google Scholar
Hepburn, K.W., Lewis, M., Sherman, C.W., Tornatore, J.The savvy caregiver programme: developing and testing a transportable dementia family caregiver training programme. Gerontologist 2003;43(6):908–915.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jorm, A.F., Blewitt, K.A., Griffiths, K.M., Kitchener, B.A., Parslow, R.A.Mental health first aid responses of the public: results from an Australian national survey. BMC Psychiatry 2005;5(1):9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kramer, M.K.Self-characterizations of adult female informal caregivers: gender identity and the bearing of burden. Res Theory Nurs Pract 2005;19(2):137–161.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lanzara, D., Cosentino, U., LoMaglio, A.M., Lora, A., Nicolo, A., Rossini, M.S.Problems of patients with schizophrenic disorders and of their families. Epidemiol Psichiatr Soc 1999;2:117–130.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McCullagh, E., Brigstocke, G., Donaldson, N., Kalra, L.Determinants of caregiving and quality of life in caregiving of stroke patients. Stroke 2005;36(10):2181–2186.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McWilliams, S, Hill, S, Mannion, N, Kinsella, A, O'Callaghan, E. Does psychoeducation influence carers' attitudes to treatment of schizophrenia? Ir J Psychol Med (In Press).Google Scholar
Montero, I., Masanet, M., Lacruz, M., Bellver, F., Asencio, A., Garcia, E.Family intervention in schizophrenia: long-term effect on main caregivers. Actas Esp Psiquiatr 2006;34(3):169–174.Google ScholarPubMed
Mueser, K.T., McGurk, S.R.Schizophrenia. Lancet 2004;363(9426):2063–2072.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Paccaloni, M., Pozzan, T., Zimmermann, C.Being informed and involved in treatment: what do psychiatric patients think? A review. Epidemiol Psichiatr Soc 2004;13(4):270–283.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pekkala, E., Merinder, L.Psychoeducation for schizophrenia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2002(4). CD002831.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pharoah, F.M., Rathbone, J., Mari, J.J., Streiner, D.Family intervention for schizophrenia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2003(3). CD000088.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pinquart, M., Sorensen, S.Helping caregivers of persons with dementia: which interventions work and how large are their effects?. Int Psychogeriatr 2006;18(4):577–595.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Reinares, M., Vieta, E., Colom, F., Martinez-Aran, A., Torrent, C., Comes, M.et al.Impact of a psychoeducational family intervention on caregivers of stabilized bipolar patients. Psychother Psychosom 2004;73(5):312–319.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schmid, R., Spiessl, H., Cording, C.Between responsibility and delimitation: emotional distress of caregivers. Psychiatr Prax 2005;32(6):272–280.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Scott, G., Whyler, N., Grant, G.A study of family caregivers of people with life-threatening illness 1: the caregivers' needs analysis. Int J Palliat Nurs 2001;7(6):290–291.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tarrier, N., Lewis, S., Haddock, G., Bentall, R., Drake, R., Kinderman, P.et al.Cognitive-behavioural therapy in first-episode and early schizophrenia. 18-month follow-up randomised controlled trial. Br J Psychiatry 2004;184:231–239.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tennakoon, L.A., Fannon, D., Doku, V., O'Ceallaigh, S., Soni, W., Santamaria, M.et al.Experience of caregiving: relatives of people experiencing a first episode of psychosis. Br J Psychiatry 2000;177:529–533.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Visser-Meily, A., van Heugten, C., Post, M., Schepers, V., Lindeman, E.Intervention studies for caregivers of stroke survivors: a critical review. Patient Educ Couns 2005;56(3):257–267.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.