Living with mental illness: Effects of professional support and personal control on caregiver burden

Families of mentally ill persons often report feeling burdened, helpless, and ignored by mental health professionals. The purpose of this study was to examine relationships among professional support, caregivers' personal sense of control, and burden. Ninety-four caregivers rated support received in 11 areas, perceptions of control, and objective and subjective burdens. General well-being measures included a depression scale (CES-D) and self-reported physical health. Controlling for the relative's disruptive behaviors and selected caregiver characteristics, hierarchical multiple regression analyses demonstrated that professional support selectively reduced burden. Practical advice on managing disruptive behaviors reduced objective burden (adjusted R2 = .16, p < .001; R2 increment = .04, p < .05), in part by enhancing personal control.