DefinePK

Abstract

Introduction: Caregivers of psychiatric patients are more prone to develop anxiety and depression themselves considering the nature of their task. The main purpose of our study was to assess the levels of depression and anxiety among caregivers of psychiatric patients and explore the role of spirituality and gratitude as coping strategies.\nMethod: It was a Cross-sectional correlational study conducted at department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Sciences, HIT Hospital, Taxila, Pakistan from 1st September 2021 to 31st December 2021. A total of 167 primary caregivers of psychiatric patients were selected through systematic random sampling. Depression and anxiety were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), respectively. Spirituality and gratitude were measured using the Caregiver’s Spirituality Scale (CSS-10) and Gratitude Questionnaire-Six Item Form (GQ-6) respectively. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and correlation analysis.\nResults: Among the caregivers, 50.3% experienced depression (12.0% mild, 21.0% moderate, 17.4% severe) and 45.5% experienced anxiety (15.0% mild, 21.0% moderate, 9.6% severe). Female caregivers were more susceptible to moderate levels of depression and anxiety, while males exhibited higher rates of severe symptomatology. Male caregivers reported significantly higher levels of spirituality (87.5% vs 82.9%), while females showed a greater tendency towards moderate gratitude (46.8% vs 30.4%). Spirituality was utilized more frequently than gratitude as a coping strategy (p < 0.001). However, no significant linear relationship was found between spirituality or gratitude and the severity of depression or anxiety.\nConclusion: The study reveals a high prevalence of depression and anxiety among caregivers of psychiatric patients, with notable gender differences in symptom severity and coping strategies were revealed. While spirituality and gratitude were commonly used as coping mechanisms, their effectiveness in mitigating depression and anxiety requires further investigation. These findings underscore the need for gender-specific interventions and comprehensive support programs for caregivers in psychiatric settings.