Spirituality in family caregiving of schizophrenia: the role of attachment to divinity

Abstract

Background: Taking care of a schizophrenic family member involves lots of uncertainties and loneliness which create huge burden to the caregivers. Spirituality is often viewed as an internal coping resource to buffer the effects of uncertainty on psychological well-being, but how the caregivers of people with schizophrenia make use of this resource is rarely studied. This exploratory qualitative study aimed to explore how family caregivers of schizophrenia utilized their spiritual resources to cope with the burden of caregiving. Method: 11 family members of patients with early-stage schizophrenia, who identified themselves as the main caregivers, were recruited from an outpatient clinic of a hospital in Hong Kong. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to investigate their spiritual and caregiving experiences. Data were collected and analyzed according to the principles of grounded theory. Results: The caregiving experience was described as exhausting and lonely. The indefinite cause of the illness induced a sense of losing control over their lives, and created lots of wonders and worries. The uncertainty towards future and the stigma attached to the illness made the sharing of their experiences become uneasy, thus giving rise to a feeling of loneliness. Participants laid emphasis on the attachment to divinity when coping with the burden of caregiving. The unconditional faith in divinity acted as a consolation which provided a psychological shelter for participants to rely on. This created a perception of being loved, cared, accompanied and protected, giving them confidence and courage to confront the adversities without further questioning. Participants also indicated that the attachment to divinity to certain extent became a guidance which informed them what roles they should play during patients’ recovery. Conclusion: Attaching to divinity helped moderate the negative impacts of caring for a schizophrenic family member. The findings not merely indicated the importance of spirituality in family caregiving of schizophrenia, but also demonstrated a necessity of taking care of caregivers’ spiritual needs because it may indirectly benefit the patients as the caregiver is the primary source of care.