The Social Functionality of Schizophrenic Patients and the Burden Experienced by Their Caregivers

Abstract

This descriptive study was carried out to determine the social functionality levels of the schizophrenic patients, the burden experienced by their caregivers. The universe comprised of 130 caregivers selected from the hospitals and Schizophrenic Patients and Relatives Solidarity Society in Ankara. For data collection 'Patient and Caregiver Identification Form”, 'Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale” and 'Schizophrenic Patients Functional Recovery Scale” were used. For the normality assumption in data evaluation, the Shapiro-Wilks test, for the significance difference between two means, and one way variance analysis, and for correlation Pearson Correlation Coefficient Test were used. The study results revealed that caregivers’ burden level was medium relatives (55.80±15.90), and the patients’ social functionality was also medium (49.96±16.34), and there was a negative medium level correlation between the social functionality average points of the patients and the average burden points of the caregiver patient relatives. It was determined that there was statistically important difference between points according to age, education and employment status of the patients, job of working patients, regular drug use and medical visits, caregiver age, civil status, relation with the patient, employment and income level, number of family members, time spent with the patient, knowledge about disease, society membership and regular attendance to family education sessions. Education and employment of patients, regular drug use and medical visits, substance addicttion and substance type caused statistically important difference between social functionalty levels of patients. Thus, psychiatric nurses one suggested to plan necessary psychosocial skill training to improve social functionality levels of patients.