Caregiver Burden and Coping in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder: A Qualitative Study

Caregivers of people with severe mental disorders suffer from having a considerable burden as a result of their caregiving role. They develop different kinds of coping strategies to deal with this burden. There has been a lack of qualitative studies on caregiver burden and coping, especially from non-Western populations. The present paper reports findings of a longitudinal study of burden and coping in a group of caregivers of people suffering from schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder (BAD). Qualitative assessments were done by focus group discussions (FGDs) with the caregivers over a period of about a year. Caregivers reported burden in different areas including effects on family functioning, social isolation, financial problems, and health. They used multiple coping strategies including developing compassion in caregiving, hoping for a better future, developing faith in God, participating in religious practices, and helping others with a similar problem.