The relationship between psychiatric patients' caregiver burden and anger expression styles

To examine the relationship between psychiatric patients' caregiver burden and anger expression styles.

In the caregiving process, when coping with problems, caregivers may exhibit emotional and behavioural responses, which can produce distressful results. One of these responses is angry. Examining the relationship between psychiatric patients' caregiver burden and caregivers' anger expression styles is necessary for quality of care.

A descriptive and relational study.

The sample for study included 60 family caregivers who were stayed with patient in psychiatry clinic during the treatment of inpatient setting of a university hospital. Data for the study were collected using the Caregiver Burden Inventory and the Trait Anger and Anger Expression Scale. The analysis of variance, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis and Pearson correlation analysis were used.

The caregivers' Caregiver Burden Inventory score was found to be 24.60 ± 1.57. Gender, working status, level of intimacy with patient, status of whether or not caregiver was living with patient and status of whether or not caregiver experienced difficulties in providing care had a significant effect on the Caregiver Burden Inventory scale as a whole, as well as its subscales. This study found a positive relationship between caregiver burden and caregivers' anger expression styles (p < .05, p < .01).

The total Caregiver Burden Inventory mean score of caregivers was concluded to be low, with some introductory characteristics and anger expression styles having an impact on the burden experienced by caregivers.

Knowing the anger expression styles of caregivers is important for reducing caregiver burden and improving quality of care.