A Study to Assess the Stress and Coping Strategies of Spouses of Patients Suffering from Schizophrenia Attending the Department of Mental Health at Selected Hospitals, Odisha

Abstract

Schizophrenia is a detrimental illness that requires psychiatric treatment. Caring for the schizophrenic patient is an enduring effect among spouses. Hardly very fewer studies have focused on the level of stress and coping strategies of spouses of schizophrenia patients. Objectives: Objectives of the study were to assess the stress and coping strategies of spouses of Schizophrenia patients attending the Department of mental health at selected hospitals, in Odisha. Methods: An exploratory descriptive design was thus undertaken to assess the stress and coping strategies of spouses of Schizophrenia patients. A convenient sample of 60 spouses was interviewed by using a demographic data sheet, self-structured stress scale and modified version of the brief cope scale. Results: The study reveals that the highest numbers (56%) of spouses experience mild stress, followed by 40% of spouses having moderate stress, with a mean stress score (of 48.95±7.04). Spouses most often used problem-focused (24.96±3.07) coping strategies rather the emotion-focused (23.43±2.89) coping strategies, with the coping strategies mean score of 48.4±5.34 in spouses. The level of stress was found to be significantly associated with the age and duration of caregiving and coping strategies of spouses were significantly associated with sex, per capita income, and duration of caregiving. The study also revealed that there was a strongly positive significance of the stress and coping strategies among spouses (r = 0.62). The researcher has found no significant association between stress as well as coping strategies with the demographic variables. This study suggests that a Psycho-educational program is needed to assist spouses cope successfully with stress resulting from the care of schizophrenic partners.