RESIDENTIAL CARE OPERATORS: SOURCES AND MEDIATORS OF STRESS (COPING).
Contributors: University of California, San Francisco.
Published: 1991
Number of pages: 243
Subjects: Health Sciences, Mental Health.; Health Sciences, Nursing.; Sociology, Individual and Family Studies.; Psychology, Industrial.
Description: The purpose of this study is to describe the sources and mediators of stress of residential care operators (RCO) who live with and care for adult mentally ill individuals. The possible association between stress and social support, on the one hand, and the residential care operator's level of physical health and psychological well-being, on the other, is also examined.

Residential care operators (N = 40) from two counties in Northern California were included in this convenience sample. A focused interview and questionnaires were used to collect data. Structured interviews were conducted to elicit in-depth data on stressors, coping strategies, and social support. In addition to demographic information, three questionnaires were used: The Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire, the Health Questionnaire, and the Bradburn's Morale Scale. The data were analyzed using qualitative and quantitative analyses.

A variety of findings emerged from this study, not the least of which that client-related problems were reported most often as the highest stressor. Distressing client behaviors such as threats of violence toward themselves or others were among the other greatest stressors. Personal stressors included the lack of relief from work responsibilities; environmental stressors included financial, licensing, and problems in communicating with professionals.

Similar to mental health professionals, the subjects utilized problem-focused coping strategies in dealing with their highest ranked stressors. The primary sources of support for dealing with the highest ranked stressors were reliance on themselves followed by counseling from mental health professionals. These subjects expressed the need for professionals to provide more information and help with client emergencies.

Results of correlational analyses indicated that subjects who had higher levels of social support reported less distress with client-related behaviors. Operators who had been in business reported higher social support. However, these operators reported more distress with environmental stressors.

From this study it can be concluded that, in general, living with and caring for mentally ill individuals is extremely stressful. Furthermore, professional support was oftentimes lacking in these situations. These results suggest the importance of inclusion of RCOs in community support programs.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-09, Section: B, page: 4665.

Thesis (D.N.S.)--UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO, 1991.

School code: 0034.