Associations between the recovery process and caregiver burden in severe mental disorders: An exploratory cross-sectional study

Abstract The recovery model emphasises service users’ rights, well-being, and life goals, and may also infl uence family dynamics and caregiver burden. However, the association between recovery stage and caregiver burden in severe mental disorders has received little empirical attention. This exploratory cross-sectional study examined this relationship in 223 families participating in the Activa’t Pilot Programme in Catalonia, Spain. Standardized measures were used to assess recovery stages and caregiver burden. Most participants were in the moratorium or awareness stages. Caregiver burden was highest in the moratorium stage and lowest in the awareness and growth stages.These findings suggest that caregiver burden is linked to the recovery process and may be particularly elevated during earlier stages. Mental health care should therefore incorporate stage-sensitive recovery-oriented approaches that address not only symptom reduction, but also the practical and relational demands placed on families.