PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Caring for a family member with a chronic mental illness can be a major challenge with putting caregivers at risk of burden and depression. This review investigated the recent evidence on the role of personality traits and features for caregiver burden and depression in caregivers of care recipients with mental illness. RECENT FINDINGS: Most of the evidence was found for caregivers looking after care recipients with dementia. Neuroticism was the personality trait showing the strongest association with caregiver burden and depression. SUMMARY: Certain personality traits and features can increase the risk of caregiver burden and depression in caregivers looking after family members with a mental illness. More research is needed especially focusing on caregivers looking after care recipients with mental illnesses other than dementia as well as on interventions aiming to support vulnerable caregivers.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Caring for a family member with a chronic mental illness can be a major challenge with putting caregivers at risk of burden and depression. This review investigated the recent evidence on the role of personality traits and features for caregiver burden and depression in caregivers of care recipients with mental illness. RECENT FINDINGS: Most of the evidence was found for caregivers looking after care recipients with dementia. Neuroticism was the personality trait showing the strongest association with caregiver burden and depression. SUMMARY: Certain personality traits and features can increase the risk of caregiver burden and depression in caregivers looking after family members with a mental illness. More research is needed especially focusing on caregivers looking after care recipients with mental illnesses other than dementia as well as on interventions aiming to support vulnerable caregivers.