Violence in families providing care to relatives with schizophrenia.
Published: 2006
Language: eng
Number of pages: 253
ISBN-13: 9780494159552
Description: The aim of this dissertation was to identify factors that contribute to violence in families who provide care to relatives with schizophrenia, based on a proposed theoretical model of pathways to violence in such families. The proposed theoretical model was established by integrating family factors of expressed emotion and caregiver distress that are associated with psychiatric relapse, and illness factors of schizophrenia of insight into the illness, substance abuse problems and threat/control-override symptoms that are associated with risk of violence among these persons, with existing models of violence and mental illness.The study employed a survey design with a convenience sample of 61 caregivers who lived with and provided care to relatives with schizophrenia in the last 12 months before the survey. Twenty-six percent and 31% of caregivers experienced at least one incident of severe physical assault or one incident of minor physical assault respectively, in the past 12 months. Forty-four percent and 64% of caregivers experienced at least one incident of severe psychological aggression or one incident of minor psychological aggression respectively, during the same period. Multiple regression analysis showed that Threat/Control-Override symptoms in relatives with schizophrenia was the only significant predictor of physical assault against caregivers. Critical Comments of the caregivers and Threat/Control-Override symptoms in relatives with schizophrenia were significant predictors of psychological aggression against caregivers.The results supported the recommendation for clinicians to collaborate with caregivers in the treatment plan to reduce the intensity of the symptoms and the risk of violence in the family environment. The results also supported the recommendation to formally recognize and respect caregivers as partners in the Mental Health Act of Ontario to strengthen the collaboration between mental health professionals and caregivers for better treatment outcomes in providing care to their relatives with schizophrenia.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-07, Section: A, page: 2748.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Toronto, 2006.

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