Background: Relatives of patients with mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and depression experience significant levels of anxiety. Accurately predicting their anxiety levels is crucial for the development of effective anti-anxiety interventions aimed at mitigating associated adverse outcomes.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 238 relatives of patients with mental illness were recruited, and their responses were collected using the generalised anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7) and simplified coping style questionnaire (SCSQ) scales. One-way analysis of variance and t-test were used to assess the mean scores of GAD-7 and SCSQ among relatives with varying characteristics. Pearson's correlations were used to examine the correlation between anxiety levels and coping style. Multi-level regression analyses were used to identify the impact of the independent variables on anxiety.
Results: Among all relatives of patients with mental illness who participated in this survey, 238 completed the questionnaire. Females exhibited a higher mean GAD-7 score (9.72 ± 0.25) compared to males. Among participants aged 18-25 years, the GAD-7 (8.12 ± 0.17) score was the highest. Additionally, relatives of patients experiencing their first episode or with a disease duration of < 1 year, as well as relatives of patients with schizophrenia and depression, displayed higher GAD-7 scores. Correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between anxiety and SCSQ (negative coping styles) (r = 0.476, p < 0.01). Multi-level regression analyses demonstrated that demographic variables (R2 = 0.474, F = 21.402, p < 0.01) and SCSQ (R2 change = 0.638, F = 37.526, p < 0.01) were significantly and positively associated with anxiety among relatives of patients with mental illness.
Conclusions: Most relatives of patients with mental illness experience varying levels of anxiety, which are influenced by their coping styles.
Keywords: Anxiety; Coping style; Relatives of patients with mental illness.
© 2024. The Author(s).