Journal article

Distress, burden, and wellbeing in siblings of people with mental illness: a mixed studies systematic review and meta-analysis

A Jayasinghe, A Wrobel, K Filia, LK Byrne, G Melvin, S Murrihy, C Moller, L Berk, M Berk, S Cotton

Psychological Medicine | Published : 2023

Abstract

Background Family members of people with mental illness (MI) may experience a host of psychological adversities such as increased stress, burden, and reduced wellbeing. However, relatively little is known about siblings. This study aimed to characterise the experience of distress (viz. depressive and anxiety symptoms), burden, and wellbeing in siblings of people with MI. Methods Studies reporting on quantitative measures of depression, anxiety, burden, or wellbeing in siblings; and/or qualitative findings on siblings' experience were eligible. The literature search was conducted up until 20th October 2022. Results Sixty-two studies comprising data from 3744 siblings were included. The pooled..

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Grants

Awarded by Deakin University


Funding Acknowledgements

The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: AJ is supported by a Deakin University Research Training Program Scholarship. AW is supported by a Deakin University Centre of Research Excellence in Psychiatric Treatment Postgraduate Research Scholarship. KF is supported by a University of Melbourne Research Fellowship. SM is supported by a University of Melbourne Research Training Program Scholarship. LB is supported by a Deakin University Research Fellowship. MB is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Senior Principal Research Fellowship [APP1156072]. SC is supported by an NHMRC Senior Research Fellowship [APP1136344]. Deakin University, The University of Melbourne, and NHMRC had no role in the study design, collection, analysis or interpretation of the data, writing the manuscript, or the decision to submit the paper for publication. This study did not receive any other specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.