Dyadic adjustment in parents of schizophrenics

Abstract

ObjectiveTo study the dyadic adjustment in couples with a schizophrenic offspring.Method140 married couples, 67 with a children with schizophrenia, and two control groups: 41 couples without pathology and 32 couples with pathology, were assessed with the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory and the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale.ResultsThe couples with a schizophrenic offspring evidenced significantly worse dyadic adjustment than did the normal controls, especially low consensus and cohesion in husbands, and low cohesion and satisfaction in wives. Anxiety and depression in mothers of schizophrenics is significantly higher than in mothers of controls.DiscussionThese findings suggest that the poor dyadic adjustment of the parents with a schizophrenic offspring could be an effect of the burden.ConclusionThe treatment on the schizophrenia should be supplemented by interventions aimed at parents’ dyadic adjustment, and mothers’ anxiety and depression, so that they can be in better conditions to help their child.