Recurrent depression: an assessment of family burden and family attitudes.

Recognition that a psychiatrically ill family member has profound effects on family life and significant others has stimulated the need for more precise assessments of family members. The authors evaluated the burden experienced by those in the immediate environment of an individual with recurrent depressive illness as well as the beliefs they hold about the illness. This report presents a preliminary body of data on the level and types of distress shared by family members, especially family members living with the patient. Such information is valuable in designing educational interventions for family members in order to explore their attitudes and belief systems about depressive illness, to decrease the impact of family and other relationship stress on the patient, and to enhance the significant others' support of the patient.