Clinical and socio-demographic correlates of coping strategies in relatives of schizophrenic patients.

The study aimed to describe coping strategies in a sample of key-relatives of schizophrenic patients, and to explore their relationships with the following variables: patients' and key-relatives' socio-demographic characteristics; patients' and key-relatives' clinical status; and key-relatives' subjective burden. Significant correlations were found between the scores on coercion items and those on Present State Examination (PSE-9) factors "disorganized syndrome" and "psychomotor poverty syndrome". A long duration of illness was found to be associated with relatives' strategies characterized by positive communication and patient's social involvement. Coercion, avoidance and resignation coping strategies were significantly associated with the occurrence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in patients' key-relatives.