[Violent schizophrenia patients: caregiver burden and related factors]

Schizophrenia-related violent behavior is a social stigma borne by schizophrenic patients and a highly painful burden faced by caregivers.

This study focused on how primary caregivers deal with schizophrenic patient violent behavior and factors that affect this burden.

Researchers recruited a purposive sample from the acute wards of a psychiatric hospital in Taipei city. This cross-sectional study studied 100 primary caregivers of schizophrenic patients with a history of violent behavior. Socio-demographic data were collected using structured questionnaires on coping methods and caregiver burden.

Results found an average primary caregiver burden score of 30.8 points, indicating a moderate degree of burden. Factors contributing to the total care burden were: patient occupation, caregiver level of education, emotional coping method, negative cognitive coping method and violent behavior type. After multiple regression analysis, the two significant factors affecting caregiver burden were identified as: Emotional coping method and violent behavior type.

This study highlighted a higher burden in violent schizophrenic patient caregivers who use emotional coping methods. Researchers recommended that clinical staff voluntarily assess caregiver burdens and methods of coping with patients' violent behavior in order to help caregivers develop specific and efficient coping strategies to reduce care burden.