Assessment of the level of stress, family burden and coping among family care providers of clients with schizophrenia at a selected setting in Chennai

This study was performed to assess the level of stress, family burden and coping among family care providers of clients with schizophrenia. The objectives of the study were: 1. To assess the level of stress, family burden and coping among the family care providers of client with schizophrenia 2. To correlate the level of stress, family burden and coping of the family care providers of client with schizophrenia 3. To associate the level of stress, family burden and coping with the selected demographic variables of the family care providers of client with schizophrenia. The research methodology: A non-experimental descriptive design was used in the study. The study was conducted at Schizophrenia Research Foundation, Chennai. After a formal permission from SCARF and consent from the samples, data was collected. A non-probability purposive sampling technique was used. Tools used were modified perceived stress assessment scale, modified family burden scale and modified COPE scale. Major findings of the study: The findings indicate that care givers suffer from mild (86%) to moderate(14%) level of stress and moderate (75%) level of family burden, majority of them have inadequate coping (88%). A weak negative correlation between stress and coping (r=-0.051) and a weak positive correlation between stress and family burden (r=0.065) and a weak positive correlation between family burden and coping (r=0.088) were found. The findings also indicated that there was no statistically significant association found between the level of stress, family burden and coping of family care providers with the demographic variables. The study concluded that care providers suffer from mild to moderate level of stress and moderate level of family burden, majority of them have inadequate coping and none of them had adequate coping