The relationship between psychological resilience and caregiver burden among caregivers of patients with bipolar disorder: the mediating role of coping styles

Abstract Background Bipolar disorder (BD) causes ongoing stress for family caregivers due to its recurring nature. Resilience can reduce stress but may also lead to excessive coping efforts, causing chronic strain. Coping styles, reflecting resilience, can both mitigate immediate stress and worsen l...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yanfang Liu, Chunhua Sun, Yue Sun, Zao Zeng, Yuan Hu, Cong Shu, Xiaofen Li, Zhiying Wan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-08-01
Series:BMC Nursing
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-03693-7
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849344751609839616
author Yanfang Liu
Chunhua Sun
Yue Sun
Zao Zeng
Yuan Hu
Cong Shu
Xiaofen Li
Zhiying Wan
author_facet Yanfang Liu
Chunhua Sun
Yue Sun
Zao Zeng
Yuan Hu
Cong Shu
Xiaofen Li
Zhiying Wan
author_sort Yanfang Liu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Bipolar disorder (BD) causes ongoing stress for family caregivers due to its recurring nature. Resilience can reduce stress but may also lead to excessive coping efforts, causing chronic strain. Coping styles, reflecting resilience, can both mitigate immediate stress and worsen long-term fatigue. Current research overlooks how BD-specific factors like aggression influence the “resilience-coping-burden” relationship. This study examines how coping styles mediate these effects to guide targeted interventions. Methods A cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted among 176 family caregivers of hospitalized bipolar disorder patients from Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University in China using a random sampling method. Data were collected through validated scales, including the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, and Zarit Burden Interview. Analysis involved SPSS and PROCESS Model 4 to assess mediation effects. Results The study revealed that psychological resilience positively influenced coping styles (β = 0.223) and negatively influenced caregiver burden (β=-0.189). However, coping styles were positively associated with caregiver burden (β = 0.351), demonstrating a mediating effect. The total effect of psychological resilience on caregiver burden, mediated by coping styles, was − 0.110. Conclusions Psychological resilience exerts dual effects on burden through coping styles - directly reducing burden while potentially increasing chronic stress via excessive active coping. Clinical interventions should integrate resilience enhancement with adaptive coping strategies. Trial registration Clinical trial number: not applicable.
format Article
id doaj-art-ab50fd1355dc4f14a04f27ecb7f5ce6e
institution Kabale University
issn 1472-6955
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Nursing
spelling doaj-art-ab50fd1355dc4f14a04f27ecb7f5ce6e2025-08-20T03:42:35ZengBMCBMC Nursing1472-69552025-08-0124111010.1186/s12912-025-03693-7The relationship between psychological resilience and caregiver burden among caregivers of patients with bipolar disorder: the mediating role of coping stylesYanfang Liu0Chunhua Sun1Yue Sun2Zao Zeng3Yuan Hu4Cong Shu5Xiaofen Li6Zhiying Wan7Department of Psychiatry,Renmin Hospital of Wuhan UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry,Renmin Hospital of Wuhan UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry,Renmin Hospital of Wuhan UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry,Renmin Hospital of Wuhan UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry,Renmin Hospital of Wuhan UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry,Renmin Hospital of Wuhan UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry,Renmin Hospital of Wuhan UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry,Renmin Hospital of Wuhan UniversityAbstract Background Bipolar disorder (BD) causes ongoing stress for family caregivers due to its recurring nature. Resilience can reduce stress but may also lead to excessive coping efforts, causing chronic strain. Coping styles, reflecting resilience, can both mitigate immediate stress and worsen long-term fatigue. Current research overlooks how BD-specific factors like aggression influence the “resilience-coping-burden” relationship. This study examines how coping styles mediate these effects to guide targeted interventions. Methods A cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted among 176 family caregivers of hospitalized bipolar disorder patients from Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University in China using a random sampling method. Data were collected through validated scales, including the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, and Zarit Burden Interview. Analysis involved SPSS and PROCESS Model 4 to assess mediation effects. Results The study revealed that psychological resilience positively influenced coping styles (β = 0.223) and negatively influenced caregiver burden (β=-0.189). However, coping styles were positively associated with caregiver burden (β = 0.351), demonstrating a mediating effect. The total effect of psychological resilience on caregiver burden, mediated by coping styles, was − 0.110. Conclusions Psychological resilience exerts dual effects on burden through coping styles - directly reducing burden while potentially increasing chronic stress via excessive active coping. Clinical interventions should integrate resilience enhancement with adaptive coping strategies. Trial registration Clinical trial number: not applicable.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-03693-7Bipolar disorderPsychological resilienceCaregiver burdenCoping behaviorCaregivers
spellingShingle Yanfang Liu
Chunhua Sun
Yue Sun
Zao Zeng
Yuan Hu
Cong Shu
Xiaofen Li
Zhiying Wan
The relationship between psychological resilience and caregiver burden among caregivers of patients with bipolar disorder: the mediating role of coping styles
BMC Nursing
Bipolar disorder
Psychological resilience
Caregiver burden
Coping behavior
Caregivers
title The relationship between psychological resilience and caregiver burden among caregivers of patients with bipolar disorder: the mediating role of coping styles
title_full The relationship between psychological resilience and caregiver burden among caregivers of patients with bipolar disorder: the mediating role of coping styles
title_fullStr The relationship between psychological resilience and caregiver burden among caregivers of patients with bipolar disorder: the mediating role of coping styles
title_full_unstemmed The relationship between psychological resilience and caregiver burden among caregivers of patients with bipolar disorder: the mediating role of coping styles
title_short The relationship between psychological resilience and caregiver burden among caregivers of patients with bipolar disorder: the mediating role of coping styles
title_sort relationship between psychological resilience and caregiver burden among caregivers of patients with bipolar disorder the mediating role of coping styles
topic Bipolar disorder
Psychological resilience
Caregiver burden
Coping behavior
Caregivers
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-03693-7
work_keys_str_mv AT yanfangliu therelationshipbetweenpsychologicalresilienceandcaregiverburdenamongcaregiversofpatientswithbipolardisorderthemediatingroleofcopingstyles
AT chunhuasun therelationshipbetweenpsychologicalresilienceandcaregiverburdenamongcaregiversofpatientswithbipolardisorderthemediatingroleofcopingstyles
AT yuesun therelationshipbetweenpsychologicalresilienceandcaregiverburdenamongcaregiversofpatientswithbipolardisorderthemediatingroleofcopingstyles
AT zaozeng therelationshipbetweenpsychologicalresilienceandcaregiverburdenamongcaregiversofpatientswithbipolardisorderthemediatingroleofcopingstyles
AT yuanhu therelationshipbetweenpsychologicalresilienceandcaregiverburdenamongcaregiversofpatientswithbipolardisorderthemediatingroleofcopingstyles
AT congshu therelationshipbetweenpsychologicalresilienceandcaregiverburdenamongcaregiversofpatientswithbipolardisorderthemediatingroleofcopingstyles
AT xiaofenli therelationshipbetweenpsychologicalresilienceandcaregiverburdenamongcaregiversofpatientswithbipolardisorderthemediatingroleofcopingstyles
AT zhiyingwan therelationshipbetweenpsychologicalresilienceandcaregiverburdenamongcaregiversofpatientswithbipolardisorderthemediatingroleofcopingstyles
AT yanfangliu relationshipbetweenpsychologicalresilienceandcaregiverburdenamongcaregiversofpatientswithbipolardisorderthemediatingroleofcopingstyles
AT chunhuasun relationshipbetweenpsychologicalresilienceandcaregiverburdenamongcaregiversofpatientswithbipolardisorderthemediatingroleofcopingstyles
AT yuesun relationshipbetweenpsychologicalresilienceandcaregiverburdenamongcaregiversofpatientswithbipolardisorderthemediatingroleofcopingstyles
AT zaozeng relationshipbetweenpsychologicalresilienceandcaregiverburdenamongcaregiversofpatientswithbipolardisorderthemediatingroleofcopingstyles
AT yuanhu relationshipbetweenpsychologicalresilienceandcaregiverburdenamongcaregiversofpatientswithbipolardisorderthemediatingroleofcopingstyles
AT congshu relationshipbetweenpsychologicalresilienceandcaregiverburdenamongcaregiversofpatientswithbipolardisorderthemediatingroleofcopingstyles
AT xiaofenli relationshipbetweenpsychologicalresilienceandcaregiverburdenamongcaregiversofpatientswithbipolardisorderthemediatingroleofcopingstyles
AT zhiyingwan relationshipbetweenpsychologicalresilienceandcaregiverburdenamongcaregiversofpatientswithbipolardisorderthemediatingroleofcopingstyles