THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM ON BURDENS ANDCOPING PATTERNS AMONG FAMILY CAREGIVERS OF SCHIZOPHRENIC PATIENTS

Abstract

Background: Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that burdens individuals. Caregivers providing at-home care also face challenges. Psychoeducational interventions show promise in alleviating difficulties for caregivers. A quasi-experimental study was conducted at El-abasia Mental Health Hospital in Cairo, Egypt to assess the effectiveness of such interventions. The sample size was 50 family caregivers of schizophrenic patients. The results revealed a statistically significant difference in both total caregiver burden and its subscales (P< 0.001), as well as in the total cope inventory and its subscales across the three phases of assessment. These findings indicate that the psychoeducational intervention program has a positive impact on reducing burdens and improving coping patterns among family caregivers of patients with schizophrenia. Consequently, the establishment of dedicated counseling clinics tailored specifically for family caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia is necessary to enhance resilience, coping skills, and overall quality of life.