RESILIENCE AND BURDEN IN SPOUSES OF PEOPLE WITH MENTAL-ILLNESS

It is estimated that 35-40% of people hospitalized for psychiatric dis abilities are discharged to live with spouses. This article reviews th e literature on spouse burden. It also examines 18 spouse responses to a larger national survey of resilience in close relatives of people w ith mental illness, Personal resilience, particularly personal contrib utions of spouses, was more evident than family or consumer resilience Eighty-three percent of spouses attested to a process of adaptation a nd recovery, with personal qualities most often cited as factors in po sitive changes. More rigorous research is recommended Suggestions for clinical and nonclinical interventions are discussed.