Distress in the relatives of psychiatric patients admitted for the first time

Seventy-three relatives of psychiatric patients aged 18-49 years admitted for the first time from a well-defined catchment area were interviewed using the Social Behaviour Assessment Schedule to determine the distress elicited by the patients' illness. The patients were interviewed with the Present State Examination, 10th edition, development version. Regardless of sex and age, frequency of contact and relation to the patient, the relatives experienced distress from symptoms, lowered social performance and the adverse effects of the illness. Informant's social class, male sex of patient and duration of illness significantly predicted distress. No differences were found in a comparison of the level of distress between non-organic psychotic disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders and psychoactive substance use disorders, but specific distressful areas within each disorder could be delineated.