Abstract:
The purpose of this cross-sectional descriptive study was to explore the level of stress and its associated factors and ways of coping in adolescent offsprings of patients with schizophrenia, who came to the out-patient clinic of the King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital and Sritanya Hospital. Sixty-eight subjects were recruited. The instruments consisted 3 self administered questionnaires: a demographic questionnaires, the Suanprung Stress Test-20 and the Modified Adolescent Coping Orientation for Problem Experience Checklist (Thai Version).
The results showed that, 55.9% of the subjects had moderate level of stress and the most common way of coping was watching television, 82.3%. Smoking and consulting with psychiatrist or psychologist were the least common, 94.1% each. Factors found to be associated with the level of stress included gender, number of family members, subjects education, mothers physical disease, fathers education and activity with friends. Ways of coping found to be significantly related to the level of stress included good humor, talking about the good things to other, using medication from psychiatrist, studying hard and crying. The result of this study can be used for the promotion of mental health in offsprings of patients with mental disorders.