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Cardiovascular Response to Psychosocial Repeated Stress in Caregivers of Offspring with Schizophrenia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 May 2013

Esperanza González-Bono ,
Sara de Andrés-Garcia ,
Ángel Romero-Martínez  and
Luis Moya-Albiol
Esperanza González-Bono*
Affiliation:
Universitat de València (Spain)
Sara de Andrés-Garcia
Affiliation:
Universitat de València (Spain)
Ángel Romero-Martínez
Affiliation:
Universitat de València (Spain)
Luis Moya-Albiol
Affiliation:
Universitat de València (Spain)
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Esperanza Gonzalez-Bono. Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de València. Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21. 46010 Valencia (Spain). Phone: +34-963864474. Fax: +34-963864668. E-mail: Esperanza.Gonzalez@uv.es
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Abstract

Taking care of offspring suffering a long-term illness such as schizophrenia is one of the more stressful life experiences. Care conditions may act as a protective factor in the health of the caregiver. The present study assesses heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), and mood responses to psychosocial stress in 16 mothers receiving specialised support for the care of their offspring (CARE+) and in 11 mothers caring for their offspring without support (CARE−). The CARE− group take care of less functional and more symptomatic offspring; and display higher basal, but lower HR, responses after stress than the CARE+ group. No significant group effects were found for BP. For mood states, there were significant decreases in the anger subscale in the CARE− group that were not found in the CARE+ group. HR was related to active and passive coping styles, trait anxiety, and years spent providing care. In the total sample, other significant relationships between cardiovascular responses and life events and personality traits have been found. In sum, the data suggests that specialised support for patients may modulate cardiovascular responses to repeated stress in caregivers.

Keywords

caregiverspsychosocial stressheart rateinstitutionalisationschizophrenia
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 16 , 2013 , E3
Copyright
Copyright © Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid 2013 

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Footnotes

This study was supported by the Departamento de Comercio, Ciencia e Investigación de la Generalitat Valenciana (GV06/382, and PROMETEO2011/048) and by the Servicio de Investigación de la Universidad de Valencia (UV-INV-AE11-41173). All authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

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