Mothers' causal explanations for their son's schizophrenia: relationship to depression and guilt.
This study investigated the relationship between mothers' causal explanations for their son's schizophrenia and the depression and guilt mothers experience. Thirty-three mothers who were primary caregivers to a schizophrenic son were interviewed using the Causal Dimension Scale and the Multiscore Depression Inventory. Twenty-nine mothers generated 50 causal explanations for their son's schizophrenia. The most frequently cited causal category was physiological/biological factors. Guilt was associated with causal explanations characterized as internal, whereas depression was unrelated to causal dimensions. The findings support the need to assess mothers' causal explanations for their son's schizophrenia and to research the health consequences of causal explanations.
Natale
A
A
University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Nursing, Lincoln 68588-0620.
Barron
C
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D015984:Causality; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006167:Guilt; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*