Authors (including presenting author) :
Wong TH (1), Chong YT (1), Cheng WY (1), Wong YP (2)
Affiliation :
(1) Community psychiatric service, Tai Po Hospital, (2) In-patient ward, Tai Po Hospital
Keyword 1: :
stress management
Introduction :
Caregivers of individuals with mental illness in Hong Kong have lower quality of life (QoL) scores compared to other Chinese populations. The stress experienced by caregivers significantly impacts their overall well-being, resulting in burnout, decreased quality of life, and health issues. Currently, there is no specific program designed for carer stress reduction among caregivers of mental health service users in the Community Psychiatric Service (CPS) of Tai Po Hospital. Thus, a carer-centered group intervention over 4 weeks was implemented to reduce carer stress and increase quality of life through face-to-face/Zoom sessions.
Objectives :
To empower caregivers in stress coping, reduce stress and enhance their overall quality of life by employing an integrated approach that combined face-to-face/ zoom therapeutic sessions, Caregiver Emergency Support Card, sharing by NGO and peer support workers.
Methodology :
The program recruited caregivers of active cases diagnosed with psychosis from CPS. Four sessions were conducted on a weekly basis from October 2025 to November 2025, with each session lasting 1.5-2 hours. An integrated approach that combined with mindfulness exercise, communication skills, sharing by NGO and peer support workers. A caregiver emergency support card was introduced to caregivers that allow them for reference during emotional phases. A “Pre-test” vs. “Post-test” design was employed.
Result & Outcome :
A total of 8 participants completed the program (Male: 1, female: 7). Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to analyze results of PSS-10 and WHOQOL-BREF. The mean PSS-10 scores for the pre- and post-assessments were 14.38 and 12.38, respectively. The p-value for the change in PSS-10 scores was 0.016, indicating statistical significance. Regarding the WHOQOL-BREF, there were statistically significant improvements in the physical health domain (p = 0.035) and the psychological health domain (p = 0.017), both exceeding the program's threshold for significance (p < 0.05). In contrast, changes in the social relationships domain (p = 0.157) and the environmental domain (p = 0.866) did not reach statistical significance. The post-program satisfaction survey (n=8) revealed high approval rates. All participants expressed satisfaction with the program, increase in awareness of mental health and stress management.
