ABSTRACT
Abstract Introduction Informal Primary Caregivers (IPC) of people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) experience a significant burden, making it important to determine their specific needs. Objectives Cross-sectional study aimed at adapting and establishing the reliability of the Questionnaire on the Needs of Family Members of People with Severe Mental Disorders to identify felt and unfelt needs that may or may not have been met in IPCs of patients with BPD and suggest intervention strategies to effectively address them. Method The adapted version of the instrument was completed by 80 IPCs of patients with confirmed BPD diagnosis. Results Cronbach's alpha coefficients for different groups of needs evaluated through the instrument were: Knowledge/information = .77, Instrumental support = . 78, Participation = .63, and Personal support = .74; and for the total score = .86. The most important unmet felt needs were: 1. having information on interventions for patients and caregivers, legal and administrative aspects, and available support services; 2. having coping skills to deal with crises and manage patients' risk behaviors; 3. receiving professional care to reduce stress; and 4. being listened by health professionals, express their personal opinions, and need for rest. Conclusions The adapted instrument showed satisfactory internal consistency in IPCs of patients with BPD. The results highlight the urgent need for interventions for this population, focusing on psychoeducation, assertiveness training, stress management, and problem solving.
Resumen Introducción Los cuidadores primarios informales (CPI) de pacientes con trastorno límite de personalidad (TLP) soportan una pesada carga, por lo que es importante conocer sus necesidades específicas. Objetivos Estudio transversal dirigido a adaptar y determinar la confiabilidad del Cuestionario de Necesidades de Familiares de Personas con Trastornos Mentales Graves a fin de identificar las necesidades sentidas y no sentidas que han sido satisfechas o no en los CPI de pacientes con TLP y sugerir estrategias de intervención para que reciban una atención efectiva. Método Ochenta CPI de pacientes con diagnósticos confirmado de TLP completaron la versión adaptada del instrumento. Resultados Los coeficientes alpha de Cronbach para los cuatro grupos de necesidades evaluadas mediante el instrumento fueron: Conocimientos/información = .77, Apoyo instrumental = .78, Participación = .63, y Apoyo personal = .74; y para el total de la escala = .86. Las necesidades sentidas y no satisfechas que destacaron fueron: 1. tener información de intervenciones para el paciente y los cuidadores, aspectos legales y administrativos, y servicios disponibles para apoyarse; 2. contar con herramientas para afrontar crisis y manejar conductas de riesgo de los pacientes; 3. ser atendidos profesionalmente para reducir el estrés; y 4. ser escuchados por los profesionales de salud y tomados en cuenta en relación con sus opiniones personales y necesidad de descanso. Conclusiones El instrumento adaptado mostró una consistencia interna satisfactoria en CPI de pacientes con TLP. Los resultados resaltan la necesidad urgente de intervenciones para esta población, enfocadas en psicoeducación, entrenamiento asertivo, manejo del estrés ansiedad y solución de problemas.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: We identified, in subjects with first-episode psychosis, demographic and socioenvironmental predictors of three variables pertaining to premorbid marijuana use: age at initiation of marijuana use, trajectories of marijuana use in the five years prior to onset of psychosis, and the cumulative "dose" of marijuana intake in that same premorbid period. METHODS: We enrolled 247 first-episode psychosis patients and collected data on lifetime marijuana/alcohol/tobacco use, age at onset of psychosis, diverse socioenvironmental variables, premorbid adjustment, past traumatic experiences, perceived neighborhood-level social disorder, and cannabis use experiences. Bivariate tests were used to examine associations between the three premorbid marijuana use variables and hypothesized predictors. Regression models determined which variables remained independently significantly associated. RESULTS: Age at initiation of cigarette smoking was linked to earlier initiation, faster escalation, and higher cumulative dose of premorbid marijuana use. During childhood, poorer academic performance was predictive of an earlier age at initiation of marijuana use, while poorer sociability was related to more rapid escalation to daily use and a higher cumulative dose. As expected, experiencing euphoric effects was positively correlated with trajectories and cumulative dose, but having negative experiences was unrelated. Traumatic childhood/adolescent experiences were correlated with rapid escalation and amount of marijuana used, but not with age at initiation of marijuana use. CONCLUSION: These data expand the very limited literature on predictors of premorbid marijuana use in first-episode psychosis. Given its association with earlier age at onset of psychosis, and poorer outcomes among first-episode patients, prevention and treatment efforts should be further developed.
