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Patient violence towards their family carers: A qualitative exploration of carers’ experiences in psychosis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2022

E. Wildman*
Affiliation:
King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, Department Of Psychology, London, United Kingdom
E. Kuipers
Affiliation:
King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, Department Of Psychology, London, United Kingdom Bethlem Royal Hospital, South London And Maudsley Nhs Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
D. Macmanus
Affiliation:
King’s College London, Department Of Forensic And Neurodevelopmental Science, London, United Kingdom
J. Onwumere
Affiliation:
King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, Department Of Psychology, London, United Kingdom Bethlem Royal Hospital, South London And Maudsley Nhs Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

Compared to the general population, people living with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) are more likely to perpetrate acts of violence. When this happens, family members (informal carers) are most commonly the victims. However, family violence by people with SSD is often a taboo topic and largely neglected within public discourse, research, and clinical domains. Consequently, our understanding of families’ experiences and support needs are limited.

Objectives

To develop a detailed understanding of the subjective experiences, and impact, of patient violence towards family carers.

Methods

Individual semi-structured interviews were held with family carers of adults with SSD and a history of violence perpetration towards their family carer. Interview data were subject to thematic analyses using NVivo software.

Results

Twenty-one UK based carers that were predominately White British (90%) and female (81%) were interviewed. Key themes highlight the range of physical and mental injuries endured by carers following patient violence, and speak to carers’ experiences of suffering, living in a constant state of hypervigilance, as well as social isolation in the context of shame, stigma, and an absence of professional and informal support.

Conclusions

Family violence by people living with SSD can and does happen. Yet, too often, carers are left with no option but to continue supporting their relative in the absence of support, even in contexts where this compromises their own safety. The devastating impact of violence is far-reaching, across all levels of the family-system. The findings highlight the danger of neglecting family violence by people with SSD in research and clinical fields.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Type
Abstract
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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