Experience of caregiving in caregivers of patients with first-episode psychosis

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the experience of caregiving, the relationship between demographic and clinical variables and the dimensions of the experience for caregivers managing patients attending a First Episode Psychosis Clinic in Hong Kong. Participants and Methods: Caregivers of 139 patients with first-episode psychosis completed a locally validated Experience of Caregiving Inventory, a 66-item self-report questionnaire measuring positive and negative appraisals of the caregiving experience. Patients' psychopathology was assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. Results: Patients' functional levels correlated significantly with negative appraisal levels. Female patients were significantly associated with positive appraisal levels. A linear regression analysis revealed that a negative symptom score, a history of deliberate self-harm, and a family history of psychiatric illness emerged as significant predictor variables. Conclusion: The results indicate that caregivers in Hong Kong are distressed by difficult behaviours and patients' negative symptoms.