Experiences of Caring for a Spouse with Schizophrenia

Gong Ju Chai; Eun Sook Nam

doi:10.12934/jkpmhn.2016.25.2.133

Journal List > J Korean Acad Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs > v.25(2) > 1058070

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Chai and Nam: Experiences of Caring for a Spouse with Schizophrenia

Original Article

Journal of Korean Academy of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 2016; 25(2): 133-146.

Published online: 30 June 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.12934/jkpmhn.2016.25.2.133

Experiences of Caring for a Spouse with Schizophrenia

Gong Ju Chai¹, Eun Sook Nam²

¹Department of Nursing, Catholic Sangji College, Andong, Korea.

²Department of Nursing, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Korea.

Corresponding author: Nam, Eun Sook. Department of Nursing, Kangwon National University, 1 Gangwondaehak-gil, Chuncheon 24341, Korea. Tel: +82-33-250-8883, Fax: +82-33-259-5636, belle09na@naver.com

Received 30 April 2016 Revised 13 June 2016 Accepted 16 June 2016

(open-access):

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Purpose

The aimof this phenomenological study was to qualitatively classify the experience of spouses caring for patients with schizophrenia.

Methods

Data were gathered using 2 hour in-depth, unstructured interviews with nine spouses of patients with schizophrenia. The data collection period was 2012 to 2013. Colaizzi's phenomenological method was used to analyze the resulting data.

Results

Five clusters of themes were identified. These were termed according to the experiences described by the spouses, as: suffering fromfalling into the abyss of despair; deepening heartbreak, clouds of misery hanging over one's family; possibly of losing the bond between familymembers; getting over one's hurt and stepping forward to the future. Participants experienced many burdens while caring for their spouse, however, they showed the ability to overcome difficulties positively and actively.

Conclusion

The results of this study indicate that the spouse of a patient with schizophrenia experiences multiple sources of distress, and suggests a process to overcoming them. Recommendations include helping nurses be aware of the sufferings of both the patient and the spouse and to plan and provide for psychological interventions, such as stressmanagement programs and informational support on social welfare programs.

Keywords: Schizophrenia, Spouses, Caring, Qualitative research

Figures and Tables

Table 1

The Characteristics of the Participants

Table 2

Clusters of Themes of the Caring Experience

Notes

This article is a revision of the first author's doctoral thesis from Kangwon National University.

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