To do the complexity of being a caregiver of a psychiatric inpatient justice, it is imperative to broaden the lopsided perspective of the burden of caregivers in research studies to the also existing rewards of caregiving.

Semi-structured interviews with ever 15 caregivers of patients with schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorders and personality disorders were analysed by using a summarizing content analysis. The interviews focus on negative and positive aspects of providing care for a family member. Furthermore, the coping strategies of the caregivers were analysed by using the Freiburg Questionnaire on Coping with Illness (FQCI).

The burden of the relatives (n=60) are many-sided (787 individual statements are named), but the rewards are surprisingly numerous, too. 413 individual statements of rewards could be summarized in 23 global statements, which were assigned to six categories: “Appreciation for providing care from the patient and others and satisfaction about providing care” (30.3%), “Gain in personality and experience of life” (22.8%), “Gain in successful coping strategies” (13.6%), “Increase of cohesion and relationship within the family” (13.1%), “Changes of attitudes and opinions” (12.1%) and “Experiences of support by others” (8.2%). The most frequent coping strategies of the relatives are “Active problem-oriented coping” (mean value 3.5), “Distraction and building self-esteem” (2.7) and “Religiousness and search for meaning” (2.7).

Results demonstrate the relevance and variety of both positive and negative aspects of caregiving and targets for intervention in psychoeducation programmes as well as in self-help groups to encourage relatives in their skills and resources.