What really matters to bipolar patientsʹ caregivers: Sources of family burden

Background fying and modifying burdensome aspects might reduce the level of burden and their negative effects both on caregivers and patientsʹ outcome. Most studies evaluate acutely ill patients, whereas the most relevant problems may be related to subthreshold symptoms and long-term outcome. The aims of the present study were to assess caregiverʹs subjective burden, to analyse which were the most burdensome aspects for caregivers and to study which variables could explain the caregiverʹs subjective burden. s vers of 86 euthymic bipolar patients completed the subjective burden subscale from an adapted version of the Social Behaviour Assessment Schedule. s vers showed a moderate level of subjective burden. The highest levels of distress were reported regarding the patientʹs behaviour; the most distressing behaviours were hyperactivity, irritability, sadness and withdrawal. Regarding the patientʹs role performance, the most worrying aspects were those associated with the patientʹs work or study and social relationships. Regarding adverse effects on others, caregivers were especially distressed by the way the illness had affected their emotional health and their life in general. Poorer social and occupational functioning, an episode in the last 2 years, history of rapid cycling and the caregiver being responsible for medication intake explained a quarter of the variance of the caregiverʹs subjective burden. tions as a cross-sectional study focused only on primary caregivers, there was no control group of non-bipolar patients. sions tudy provides relevant data concerning the burden of caregivers of stable bipolar patients, pointing at potential targets for psychosocial interventions.