Mediating effect of burden on primary caregivers of patients with schizophrenia between affiliated stigma and quality of life

Objective To explore the mediating effect of the burden on primary caregivers of patients with schizophrenia between affiliated stigma and quality of life.

Methods A convenience sampling method was used to select 220 primary caregivers of patients with schizophrenia as study subjects. A general information questionnaire, the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), the Perceived Devaluation-Discrimination Scale (PDD), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) were employed for the survey. Pearson correlation analysis was used for correlation analysis, and Amos 26.0 software was used to construct a structural equation model. The mediating effect was tested using the Bootstrap method.

Results The score for the burden on primary caregivers of patients with schizophrenia was (38.68±14.80), indicating a moderate level. The score for affiliated stigma was (32.20±8.23), suggesting the presence of affiliated stigma. The score for quality of life was (76.92±20.72), also at a moderate level. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between caregiver burden and affiliated stigma (r=0.311, P < 0.01), a negative correlation between caregiver burden and quality of life (r=-0.349, P < 0.01), and a negative correlation between affiliated stigma and quality of life (r=-0.249, P < 0.01). Caregiver burden acted as a mediating variable between affiliated stigma and quality of life, with a total effect value of -0.317, a direct effect value of -0.269, and a mediating effect value of -0.048. The mediating effect accounted for 15.14% of the total effect.

Conclusion The burden on primary caregivers of patients with schizophrenia plays a partial mediating role between affiliated stigma and quality of life. Medical staff should implement effective intervention measures to reduce caregivers′affiliated stigma and caregiving burden, thereby improving their quality of life. Key words: schizophrenia; primary caregivers; quality of life; caregiver burden; affiliated stigma; mediating effect; caregiving burden; structural equation modeling