Interrelationship of psychological distress, basic beliefs and perceptions of family relationships in informal caregivers of children and adults with epilepsy

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Relatives caring for an epilepsy patient play a significant role in the care system and maintaining the well-being of the chronically ill and often suffer from significant stress. AIM: The aim of the study was to reveal the relationship of psychological distress, basic beliefs and perceptions of family relationships in relatives taking care of children and adults with epilepsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study involved 62 relatives caring for patients with epilepsy, 44 relatives of children (mean [SD] age, 34,64 6,73 years) and 18 relatives of adults (mean [SD] age, 48,72 10,99 years). The Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), the World Assumption Scale and the Family Environment Scale was used as an assessment tools. Also semi-structured interview for assessing socio-demographic and clinical characteristics was applied. RESULTS: The results of the study revealed significant similarities of the studied groups both in the explication of the psychopathological symptoms and in perception of their own personality, the surrounding world and intra-family interaction. Informal caregivers of such patients demonstrates significant variability and severity of psychopathological symptoms. And their perception of themselves and the surrounding world is characterized by the faade tendencies that act as psychological protection that prevents the catastrophizing of the subjective assessment of the situation associated with the chronic disease of a loved one. CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrated the need to develop specialized psychotherapeutic interventions aimed at reducing the level of psychological distress in informal caregivers of patients with epilepsy. During the development and carrying out of such interventions, it is important to take into account the subjective assessment of caregivers available life situation, as well as his/her personal values and attitudes that largely determine the severity of psychopathological symptoms.