ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to examine the caregivers of the chronically physically ill across personality and clinical psychopathology dimensions. The MCMI-II inventories of 30 caregivers and 28 matched controls were analyzed. Differences between the two groups were found on the clinical scales of anxiety, somatoform, dysthymia, and major depression. This suggests that differences exist between caregivers and non-caregivers on several clinical syndromes including psychosomatic variables. Professional, paraprofessional, and lay hospice support personnel should be aware of these possibilities, actively assess for them, and be prepared to intervene. [Single or multiple copies of this article are available from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-342-9678, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (EST).]
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Notes on contributors
Nancy J. Karlin
Nancy J. Karlin, PhD, is Assistant Professor at the University of Northern Colorado.
Paul D. Retzlaff
Paul D. Retzlaff, PhD, is Associate Professor at the University of Northern Colorado.