title: Coping strategies in carers of young people with a first episode of psychosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Carers of young people with first episode psychosis (FEP) often face burden. Understanding ways in which carers cope is not only important for providing support to them but might maximise patient outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine strategies carers use to cope with the burden of caring for a young person with FEP.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was part of a randomized controlled trial focusing on the effectiveness of a problem-solving bibliotherapy intervention for carers of FEP patients, in terms of promoting coping and reducing psychological distress. Baseline data on the Ways of Coping (WOC) scale was available for 124 carers aged between 18 and 66 years. Principal component analysis with PROMAX rotation was used to determine the number of factors that could be used to characterise coping behaviour. Regression analyses were used to determine how the factors were related to carers' demographics, burden, psychological well-being and expressed emotion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately half of the carers reported that they frequently use positive coping techniques such as self-talk, active problem solving, and positive reframing. The factor analysis yielded five factors: (i) cognitive-escape coping; (ii) optimistic coping; (iii) seeking connections; (iv) tension reduction; and (v) distancing. The relationships between these factors and demographic characteristics, carers' perception of burden, expressed emotion, and psychological distress are reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Avoidance coping strategies are related to psychological distress, emotional over-involvement, and increased carer burden. Interventions facilitating the use of adaptive problem solving and positive re-appraisal will promote carer coping and reduce psychological distress.
authors.affiliation: Orygen Youth Health Research Centre, Locked Bag 10, Parkville Victoria 3052, Australia. smcotton@unimelb.edu.au
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cotton
authors.forename: T V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: McCann
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Gleeson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Crisp
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: D I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Lubman
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D019260:Expressed Emotion / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology*; D057566:Self Report; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult