L. Magliano et al., BURDEN ON THE FAMILIES OF PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA - RESULTS OF THE BIOMED-I STUDY, Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 33(9), 1998, pp. 405-412
The burden, the coping strategies and the social network of a sample o
f 236 relatives of patients with schizophrenia, living in five Europea
n countries, were explored by well-validated assessment instruments. I
n all centres, relatives experienced higher levels of burden when they
had poor coping resources and reduced social support. Relatives ill M
editerranean centres, who reported lower levels of social support, wer
e more resigned; and more often used spiritual help as a coping strate
gy. These data indicate that family burden and coping strategies call
be influenced by cultural factors, and suggest that family interventio
ns should have also a social focus, aiming to increase the family soci
al network and to reduce stigma.