Family psychoeducation and supportive casework intervention on expressed emotion and care burden among caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia

Abstract

Abstract: Schizophrenia, a persistent mental illness, profoundly impacts the caregiving process. Augmenting understanding of the illness and offering supportive interventions empower caregivers to adeptly manage schizophrenia and tackle psychosocial challenges, thereby fostering improvements in the recovery process. The study aimed to evaluate the impact of a psychoeducational and supportive intervention program on caregivers’ knowledge of schizophrenia and their ability to manage associated challenges. Employing a single-case study design, a caregiver dealing with chronic schizophrenia was selected from the inpatient department of LGB Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur. Assessment tools included the Knowledge about Schizophrenia Interview (KASI), Mayer-Gross Social History Pro forma, the Zarit Burden Interview, and the Family Questionnaire. Pretest scores also indicated elevated levels of expressed emotions (EEs) within the family (critical comments score of 29 and emotional over-involvement scores of 33), exceeding the cut-off thresholds for high EE. Following the intervention, there was a notable reduction in critical comments (posttest score of 21) and emotional over-involvement (posttest score of 28), indicating a decrease in negative emotional expressions within the family. Moreover, there was a significant reduction in caregiver burden postintervention (posttest score of 39), suggesting improved coping mechanisms and reduced stress levels among caregivers. Moreover, there was a significant reduction in caregiver burden postintervention, suggesting enhanced coping mechanisms and reduced stress levels among caregivers. These findings underscore the effectiveness of family psychoeducational and supportive casework interventions in augmenting knowledge, managing EEs, and alleviating caregiver burden associated with schizophrenia.