Psychological Resilience and Quality of Life Among Caregivers of Patients With Schizophrenia
Trial statusNot yet recruiting
Trial phaseNot listed
Trial typeObservational
Biological sexAll
Age18-65
SponsorAssiut University
About this trial
Schizophrenia is a severe and chronic psychiatric disorder that requires long-term care management, placing family members who serve as informal caregivers under substantial psychological, physical, and financial strain. While caregiver burden, anxiety, and depression are well-documented challenges in this population, psychological resilience can serve as an essential protective buffer against chronic stress. This study aims to evaluate the levels of psychological resilience and Quality of Life (QoL) among family caregivers of patients with schizophrenia compared to a matched control group of caregivers of healthy individuals.
This observational case-control study will be conducted at the Neuropsychiatry Department (inpatient wards and outpatient clinics) of Assiut University Hospital in Assiut, Egypt. Primary informal caregivers aged 18 to 65 years who reside with and care for a patient clinically diagnosed with schizophrenia (DSM-5 / ICD-11 criteria) for at least 6 months will be compared to matched caregivers of healthy individuals recruited from the community.
Participants will undergo structured face-to-face clinical interviews to assess:
* Quality of Life: Evaluated across physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF). * Psychological Resilience: Measurement of individual coping ability, personal competence, and adaptability under stress. * Caregiver Burden: Quantified using the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). * Psychiatric Distress: Clinician-administered assessment of anxiety severity via the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and depressive symptoms via the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D).
The findings aim to identify sociodemographic and clinical predictors influencing caregiver well-being and provide evidence to guide targeted psychosocial support and intervention programs.
Eligibility criteria
This trial does not accept healthy volunteersQualifiers
Primary informal caregiver defined as an immediate family member (parent, spouse, sibling, or adult child) providing unpaid physical, emotional, or financial assistance.
Continuous co-residence with the patient for a minimum duration of 6 months prior to enrollment.
Caring for an individual with an established clinical diagnosis of schizophrenia confirmed by a psychiatrist according to DSM-5 or ICD-11 criteria.
Caregiver age between 18 and 65 years.
Disqualifiers
Refusal or inability of the caregiver to provide written informed consent.
Documented history of major primary psychiatric disorders (e.g., bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, organic psychosis) or severe neurological illness diagnosed prior to assuming the caregiving role.
Concurrently providing care for another family member suffering from a severe chronic physical disability, terminal illness, or neurodegenerative disease.
Presence of active substance use disorders, severe cognitive impairment, or intellectual disability that impedes reliable questionnaire completion.
Trial population
The study population comprises primary informal family caregivers (parents, spouses, siblings, or adult offspring) of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia receiving inpatient or outpatient psychiatric care at Assiut University Hospital in Assiut, Egypt. A matched comparison group includes family caregivers of healthy individuals residing in the same geographic community who have no current or previous personal or family history of schizophrenia or other major psychiatric disorders. Control subjects are matched by age, sex, marital status, educational level, and socioeconomic status.
Trial design
Design model
Case-control
Time perspective
Cross-sectional
Treatments tested in this trial
Not listed
Trial groups
130 Participants
are grouped into 2 trial groupsGroup A: Caregivers of Patients with Schizophrenia
Group B: Caregivers of Healthy Individuals
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Quality of Life Score Measured by the WHOQOL-BREF Questionnaire
Assessed using the 26-item World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF) across four domains: Physical Health, Psychological Well-being, Social Relationships, and Environment. Domain scores are transformed linearly to a scale from 0 to 100, where higher scores indicate superior quality of life.
Time frame
BaselineLocations
Sponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov
This trial is not recruiting at the moment. You can still explore other options: