Analysis of influencing factors of depression and anxiety status among caregivers of patients with mental illness based on structural equation model

Abstract

Objective

To explore the influencing factors of depression and anxiety status among caregivers of patients with mental illness based on the structural equation model.

Methods

A total of 602 caregivers of mental illness inpatients were enrolled by convenience sampling. The Brief Chinese version of the Family Experience Interview Schedule (FEIS) was used to assess caregivers' depression and anxiety state, patients' violent behavior, patients' suicidal tendency, disruption of caregivers' daily routines as well as the perceived relationship of caregivers. The depression and anxiety status among caregivers and influencing factors were analyzed by structural equation modeling.

Results

The patient's violent behavior indirectly affected the caregivers' depression and anxiety state through its impact on the caregivers' daily life (the indirect effect was 0.059). The suicidal tendency of patients directly affected the state of depression and anxiety of caregivers (the direct effect was 0.139). The disruption of caregivers' daily routines was partly indirectly related to the state of depression and anxiety of the caregivers (the indirect effect was 0.014). Compared with the effect from the patients' symptoms, the perceived relationship of the caregivers had a greater impact on the caregivers' depressive and anxious status (the total effect was 0.281).

Conclusion

The suicidal tendency of patients directly affects the state of depression and anxiety of caregivers, and the disruption of caregivers' daily routines only plays a partial mediating role, which completely mediates the effect of the patients' violent behavior on the caregivers' depressive and anxious, meanwhile, a good relationship with friends and family of caregivers can alleviate their depression and anxiety.