Family Systems and Psychoeducation in Chronic Illness Care: A Quasi- Experimental Comparative Study of Diabetes and Dementia in India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55712/pwvxvj48Keywords:
Family systems, Psychoeducation, Diabetes, Dementia, Chronic illness, Caregiving, Social psychiatryAbstract
This study investigates the role of family systems and psychoeducational interventions in supporting the management of diabetes and dementia—two chronic conditions with distinct implications. A quasi-experimental, pre-post comparative research design was employed. Sixty primary caregivers (thirty per condition) completed validated measures—the Family Assessment Device (FAD), Coping Strategies Inventory (CSI), and Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI)—before and after six psychoeducational sessions conducted over a 3-month period. Dementia caregivers reported significantly higher baseline emotional and physical strain (CBI mean difference: -7.3, p=.002) than diabetes caregivers, who focused more on routine compliance. Psychoeducation significantly improved coping scores in both groups, with a larger effect in the dementia cohort (CSI mean difference: +10.9, p=.001). The analysis revealed notable between-group differences in family functioning, particularly in communication (FAD: 2.9 vs. 3.8, p=.003) and affective involvement (FAD: 2.7 vs. 4.1, p=.001). These findings highlight the need for condition-specific, family-centred interventions to address the multidimensional demands of chronic disease care and improve quality of life.
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The datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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