[A group intervention for spouses of patients with depression - is it effective?]. / Gruppenintervention zur unterstützung von partnerndepressiv erkrankter - eine lohnende massnahme?

OBJECTIVE: Spouses of patients with depression have an elevated risk to develop an affective disorder themselves. We evaluate whether a group intervention program for spouses of patients with depression does improve participants' depressive and anxiety symptoms. METHODS: 66 spouses participated in a six months intervention with 12 group sessions. 50 nonparticipants were included as a control group. We measured depressive and anxiety symptoms with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) at the beginning and the end as well as 3 and 9 months after the intervention. RESULTS: The intervention did not cause any improvement with regard to BDI and BAI scores. Scores in the BDI and BAI were normal in most participants before the intervention. Regardless, satisfaction with the program among participants was very high. CONCLUSION: The influence of the intervention concept on the wanting participation of more severely affected spouses is discussed and adaptations of the program are proposed.

[Everyday burden of mentally ill people's spouses -- client orientated approaches in relatives' support]. / Alltagsbelastungen von Partnern psychisch Kranker - Ansätze für eine nutzerorientierte Angehörigenarbeit.

OBJECTIVE: Regarding clinical practice groups for relatives of mentally ill people mostly are conceptualized depending on the type of disorder the patient is suffering from. However, results of research on burden of caregivers indicate aspects of burden which do not seem to be associated with the patients' disorder. METHOD: As part of a study on the burden of caregiving to mentally ill family members in-depth interviews as well as diary writing over a 12 weeks period were carried out with 6 spouses of patients suffering from schizophrenia or depression. RESULTS: Differences in the burden of caregiving do not seem to be related to the type of the patients' diagnosis. Aspects of partnership dominated the interviews and diary writing of the spouses. In all cases substantial parts of experienced burden are related to the spouses' efforts to share mastering of the illness with the patient. CONCLUSIONS: The hypothesis of specific aspects regarding the type of the patients' disorder related to spouses caregiver burden can not be supported by the results of this study. However, our results seem to encourage aspects of relationship within the development of support programs for relatives of mentally ill people.