title: Factors of caregiver burden and family functioning among Taiwanese family caregivers living with schizophrenia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the degree of caregiver burden and family functioning among Taiwanese primary family caregivers of people with schizophrenia and to test its association with demographic characteristics, family demands, sense of coherence and family hardiness.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Family caregiving is a great concern in mental illness. Yet, the correlates of caregiver burden and family functioning in primary family caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia still remain unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional descriptive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A convenience sample of 137 primary family caregivers was recruited from two psychiatric outpatient clinics in Taiwan. Measures included a demographic information sheet and the Chinese versions of the Family Stressors Index, Family Strains Index, 13-item Sense of Coherence Scale, 18-item Caregiver Burden Scale, Family Hardiness Index and Family Adaptability, Partnership, Growth, Affection, and Resolve Index. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficients, t-test, one-way analysis of variance and a stepwise multiple linear regression.
  Female caregivers, additional dependent relatives, increased family demands and decreased sense of coherence significantly increased caregiver burden, whereas siblings as caregivers reported lower degrees of burden than parental caregivers. Family caregivers with lower family demands, increased family hardiness and higher educational level had significantly enhanced family functioning. Sense of coherence was significantly correlated with family hardiness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings highlighted the importance of sense of coherence and family hardiness in individual and family adaptation. Special attention needs to focus on therapeutic interventions that enhance sense of coherence and family hardiness, thereby improving the perception of burden of care and family functioning.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the nature of family caregiving in schizophrenia, understanding of correlates of caregiver burden and family functioning would help provide useful avenues for the development of family-focused intervention in psychiatric mental health nursing practice.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, College of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Department of Nursing, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chiu-Yueh
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Hsiao
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Department of Nursing, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung City, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yun-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D011594:Psychometrics; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000451:nursing*; D060685:Sense of Coherence; D013624:Taiwan
keywords: caregiver burden; family functioning; family hardiness; sense of coherence