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  • Dealing with a family member who has a mental illness was a long term, frustrating, and confusing process before acceptance occurred

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Qualitative
Dealing with a family member who has a mental illness was a long term, frustrating, and confusing process before acceptance occurred

https://doi.org/10.1136/ebn.3.4.133

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    Karp DA, Tanarugsachock V.Mental illness, caregiving, and emotion management.Qual Health Res2000 Jan;10:6–25OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science

    QUESTION: How do parents, spouses, siblings, and children manage their emotions over time when dealing with a family member who has unipolar depression, manic depression, or schizophrenia?

    Design

    Analysis of data from 50 interviews, which were done as part of a larger ethnographic study.

    Setting

    Belmont, Massachusetts, USA.

    Participants

    50 participants (70% women, 96% white) were identified from a support group, newspaper advertisements, and recommendations from participants. 18 were parents, 13 were spouses, 10 were children, and 9 were siblings. Occupations were professional (26%), white collar (22%), clerical (16%), blue collar (8%), student (12%), and unemployed (16%).

    Methods

    Interviews were 2–3 hours long and were audiotaped and transcribed. Data on emotions that accompanied duty, obligation, and responsibility were collated and analysed to develop themes related to living with a family member who has a mental illness.

    Main findings

    4 stages in the evolution of the caregiving …

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    Footnotes

    • Source of funding: not stated.

    • For correspondence: Dr D A Karp, Department of Sociology, Boston College, McGuinn Hall 426, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA. Fax +1 617 552 4283.