title: Burnout in early course psychosis caregivers: the role of illness beliefs and coping styles.
abstract: In occupational settings, burnout is a common response to chronic exposure stressors and has been frequently documented in formal caregivers (i.e. paid psychiatric staff). However, the literature is limited on reports of burnout among informal caregivers and particularly within early psychosis groups. The current study sought to investigate reports of burnout in carers of young adults treated within a specialist early psychosis service and links with key appraisals reported about the illness and coping.
  
  
  
  Seventy-two carers completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory along with self-report measures of coping styles and illness beliefs.
  
  
  
  Seventy-eight per cent of carers reported high burnout in at least one of the three key burnout markers (i.e. emotional exhaustion, depersonalization or low personal accomplishment). Seven per cent of carers met full criteria for high burnout across all the three domains. A carer's belief about the negative consequences of the illness for themselves was a significant predictor of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Low personal accomplishment was linked to a carer's less optimistic beliefs about the illness timeline and fewer reports of adaptive coping.
  
  
  
  The results provide preliminary support for the importance of asking carers in the early illness phase about their experiences of caregiving. Targeted assessment may serve as a helpful tool to identify and intervene with carers in need of additional support with stress management, use of adaptive coping strategies, and balanced recovery focused information about psychosis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Juliana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Onwumere
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences, University of Surrey, Surrey, UK.
authors.forename: Gursharan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lotey
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire, UK.
authors.forename: Joerg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Gareth
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: James
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, School of Psychology, University of East London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Roya
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Afsharzadegan
authors.affiliation: Harrow & Hillingdon Early Intervention in Psychosis Service, The Pembroke Centre, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Raythe
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.affiliation: Harrow & Hillingdon Early Intervention in Psychosis Service, The Pembroke Centre, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Lai
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chu Man
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.|Biomedical Research Centre, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kuipers
authors.affiliation: Harrow & Hillingdon Early Intervention in Psychosis Service, The Pembroke Centre, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Raune
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000451:nursing*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: burnout; carer; early intervention; psychosis