Emotional burden in caregivers of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
BACKGROUND
The objective of this study was to evaluate the emotional burden, psychological morbidity, and level of family accommodation in caregivers of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients, according to sociodemographic and clinical factors.


METHODS
Fifty Brazilian DSM-IV OCD patients and their caregivers were evaluated using the Family Accommodation Scale, the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), the Self-Report Questionnaire (caregivers), the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, and the Beck Depression Inventory (patients). Most caregivers (80%) were aged between 30 and 59 years and lived with the patient (88%).


RESULTS
Forty-two percent presented a common mental disorder and their mean ZBI score was 28.9. Family accommodation was moderate in 26% and severe or very severe in 24%. Caregivers' levels of psychological morbidity, accommodation, and emotional burden were associated with each other and with the severity of patient obsessive-compulsive and depressive symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that caregivers of OCD patients have important levels of burden and psychological morbidity and should receive orientation and support to minimize this emotional impact.
Ramos-Cerqueira
Ana Teresa de Abreu
AT
Department of Neurology, Psychology, and Psychiatry, Botucatu Medical School-UNESP, Botucatu (São Paulo), Brazil. ateresa@fmb.unesp.br
Torres
Albina Rodrigues
AR
Torresan
Ricardo Cezar
RC
Negreiros
Ana Paula Maranhão
AP
Vitorino
Caroline Nakano
CN
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001938:Brazil; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D004644:Emotions; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult