Meta analysis of psycho-educational support programs for family members caring for family members with chronic disease

The purpose of this study is to understand the effects of psychoeducation programs which took place between years 1990-2019 at Turkey and prepared for caregivers who care for their family members with chronic diseases on caregiver burden, depression, well-being, expressed emotion, family functionality, state anxiety, and trait anxiety by using meta-analysis method. A literature search has been conducted and 17 research which has at least one of the variables that have been mentioned above and fulfills the defined conditions are selected to be subjects of this meta-analysis. Data analysis of the research has been made by using the JASP 0.12.2.0 program. In order to ensure the reliability of the research, a publication bias test has been conducted and bias has been detected only on the depression variable. The results of this study are psychoeducation programs prepared for caregivers who care for their family members with chronic diseases have very wide effects on caregiver burden and well-being, wide effects on expressed emotion, medium effects on family functionalities which are behavior control, due consideration, emotional reactivity, communication, and problem-solving, negligible effects on state anxiety, lastly, negative effects on trait anxiety, depression, family functionalities which are family roles and general functions. The results contribute to the field of family counseling by showing the effect of psychoeducation in living with chronic illness, one of the important issues in family counseling, the effects of the disease on the family, and coping with the disease process.