The Relationship Between Loneliness Religious Coping and Care Burden in Primary Caregivers of Individuals with Mental Disorders

This study aims to examine the relationship between loneliness, religious coping, and care burden among primary caregivers of individuals with chronic mental disorders. The study used a cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational research design. A convinience sampling technique was used, and the sample included 250 primary caregivers of individuals with mental disorders. Data were analyzed using multivariate linear regression analysis. The results showed that caregivers had moderate levels of loneliness, their use of positive religious coping was relatively high, and their use of negative religious coping was moderate. Care burden levels were also moderate. A one-unit increase in loneliness raised the care burden by 0.316 units (p < .001), while positive and negative religious coping had no significant effect on care burden (p > .05). These findings suggest that loneliness significantly affects care burden, and the two factors are closely linked. These findings suggest that loneliness is a significant predictor of care burden, highlighting the critical role of social and emotional support for caregivers. Providing structured social support programs, caregiver support groups, and psychological counseling may help reduce loneliness and, in turn, alleviate care burden. These results emphasize the need for targeted interventions to enhance caregivers' well-being and improve their ability to manage caregiving responsibilities effectively.