Effects of family to family support program on mental health and coping strategies of caregivers of schizophrenia patients

Objective: This study aims to investigate the effects of family to family support program on coping strategies and mental health of care givers of schizophrenia patients.Method: This study was conducted with a randomized controlled intervention study and to investigate perspectives on the program qualitatively. The study sample included caregivers of schizophrenia patients who were registered members of Izmir Schizophrenia Solidarity Association. The study data were collected with a General Health Questionnaire Form and a Coping Strategies Scale. The study was carried out in three steps. The first step included designing a Family to Family Support Program. People who would implement the program were selected and trained in the second step. In the third step, caregivers who were trained in the program trained other caregivers. General Health Questionnaire and Coping Strategies Scale were applied to both control group and family to family support group before and after implementing the program, and in the third and the sixth month. The study was completed with 46 caregivers, 22 in family to family support group and 24 in control group. 20 attended caregiver to family to family support program constituted the sampling of the qualitative study.Findings: It was found that there was a highly meaningful difference between the mean scores of General Health Questionnaire of caregivers in family to family support group during all four measurements throughout the study. It was further noted that the mean scores of caregivers in control group weren't meaningfully different. Caregivers in family to family support group had higher scores in the subdimensions of Coping Strategies Scale, such as self-esteemed approach, optimistic approach, and seeking social support approach, in comparison to those in control group. Caregivers in family to family support group had comparatively lower scores in desperate approach subdimension than those in control group. It was finally added that there was no meaningful difference between both groups in submissive approach subdimension. Four themes were identified in qualitative findings.Results: In light of the results, it was concluded that family to family support program positively affected coping strategies and mental health of caregivers of schizophrenia patients. Implementation of similar programs are recommended on a regular basis.