The Role of Personal, Social and Religious Resources in Caregiving Stress

Abstract

This study puts personal, social, and religious resources as a stress buffer for caregivers. The limitation of personal, social, religious resources have a detrimental effect on the mental health of caregivers of a family member with schizophrenia (hereinafter referred to as People with Schizophrenia, or PwS). Following the caregiving stress process theory, this study aims to clarify not only the role of personal and social resources but also the religious ones. For this purpose, in-depth interviews with a life history method were done to twenty (20) caregivers of PwS. The result shows that personal resources like coping mechanism management (for example, by doing a positive comparison with others and reducing the expectations on the PwS) would help to perceive the role of a caregiver more positively. Meanwhile, social resources like social support were received by the caregivers from their significant others (family members) and similar others (support group). Social support was received in the form of emotional support, caregiving help, and instrumental aid. Religious resources in the form of religious coping were also used as a buffer for the stress that came from caregiving. This was done by positive religious coping, such as asking for help from God during difficult times, involving God in everything they do, and surrendering themselves to God to get the strength to face life problems. These three resources (personal, social, religious) were needed by the caregivers so they can preserve their mental health.