Assess the Caregivers’ Aspects of Caregiving

Description

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18413865

Trishna G. Chettri¹, Adesh N. Tiwary², Lata Poudel³, Suraj Tiwari⁴, and Sushila Dangol⁵ (Clinical Psychologist, Mental Hospital Lagankhel, NAMS, Patan, Nepal¹, Manoshastra Counselling Center, Patan, Nepal², Psychiatrist, Mental Hospital Lagankhel, NAMS, Patan, Nepal³, Consultant Psychiatrist, Mental Hospital Lagankhel, Patan, Nepal⁴, and Senior Hospital Nursing Administrator, Mental Hospital Lagankhel, Patan, Nepal⁵)

Families of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia often face many difficulties because taking care of someone with this illness involves more than just handling their symptoms. It also means dealing with sadness, broken relationships, and everyday tasks. Even though caregiving is usually seen as a tough and stressful job, recent studies show that caregivers can also feel a sense of growth, stronger family connections, and purpose in their role. This study looked at both the positive and negative parts of caregiving from a general point of view, focusing on families who care for people with schizophrenia. The research was carried out at a mental hospital in Lagankhel, Nepal, and included 50 family members who were taking care of people with schizophrenia. These caregivers had been helping for at least a year and were directly involved in daily care. To understand their experiences, the study used a tool called the Experience of Caregiving Inventory, which helps measure both the positive and negative feelings about caregiving. The results showed that caregivers often feel both good and bad emotions at the same time, not just stress and sadness. The good feelings included personal satisfaction and seeing benefits from their relationship with the person they care for. The negative feelings came from challenges like difficult behaviors, social stigma, problems with services, and feeling like they’ve lost something important. These findings show that caregiving is a complex experience, shaped by both tough situations and personal strength. The study suggests that mental health professionals should not only focus on the stress of caregiving but also recognize the strengths and positive aspects that caregivers have.