Page 21 - JCBP-1-2

Journal of Clinical and
Basic Psychosomatics Psychological control, sense of benefit, and burden on caregivers

that positive coping styles can help individuals effectively of caregiving stress among caregivers of children with
perceive potential threats by gaining control over diseases congenital bone malformation. The present study assumed
and life . Reitai proved that psychological control at work that caregivers’ sense of psychological control would affect
[7]
affects the experience of positive stress, which can be seen the caregiving burden through the mediating effect of the
as a sense of career benefit . Furthermore, Fife et al. found sense of benefit. Specifically, the present study aimed to
[8]
that the psychological control of cancer patients predicts explore the following research questions: (i) What are the
stress levels. It is specifically manifested in enhancing the current phycological status and the perceived benefits of the
general control of cancer patients and a corresponding care burden among caregivers of children with congenital
reduction of disease-related stress . Therefore, the skeletal malformations? (ii) What is the relationship between
[9]
caregiver’s sense of benefit is an important variable caregivers’ sense of psychological control, benefit, and care
affecting the mind and behavior. burden in children with congenital skeletal malformations?
Concepts related to the sense of benefit, the sense of (iii) Does the sense of benefit play a mediating role between
psychological control, and the burden of care are presently psychological control and care burden in caregivers of
well-defined in the literature. Extensive research has children with congenital skeletal malformations?
provided a detailed analysis of the relevant definition, 2. Methods
classification, and mechanism of action of each concept.
In addition, the factors influencing these three concepts 2.1. Research tools
and their relationship with other variables have been The present study employed a questionnaire survey
thoroughly analyzed. It is concluded that individuals may consisting of four parts: General demographic information
develop a positive evaluation of stressful events over time. scale, benefit sense scale (benefit finding scale [BFS]),
This positive evaluation enables them to experience a sense general control sense sub-scale (Shapiro Control Inventory
of benefit while coping with disease and pressure, regaining [SCI]), and care burden scale (Zarit Caregiver Burden
control over the stressful situation, and achieving a state of Interview [ZBI]). The details are elaborated further as
physical and mental balance. Notably, the sense of benefit follows:
plays an intermediary role in this process.
2.1.1. General demographic information
The previous studies mainly have primarily focused
on the care burden experienced by caregivers of patients The general demographic information collected for
with chronic diseases, with few exploring the care children includes age, sex, age, only child, family history,
burden of caregivers of children with congenital bone and disease to pay for medical expenses.
malformations. The caregivers of children with congenital The general demographic information collected for
bone malformations face two main challenges: Attending caregivers includes gender, age, ethnic group, education,
to the children’s daily needs and providing support occupation status, religion, marital status, caregiver-
throughout the process of orthopedic surgery. Due to the patient relationship, per capita monthly income, and
children’s skeletal dysfunction, they are unable to care for family residence.
themselves, requiring caregivers to invest more time and
energy. Consequently, caregivers experience additional 2.1.2. Benefit sense scale (BFS)
physical and psychological pressure . Caring burden, as a The scale used in this study is the Chinese version of
[10]
kind of pressure and crisis, negatively impacts the physical the sense of benefit scale compiled by Bian Jing (2019)
and mental health of both caregivers and care recipients . [13] , which is divided into 5 dimensions and 22 items.
[11]
Research has revealed that parents of children with cancer Participants were asked to rate each item using a 5-point
endure more physical, psychological, social, and economic Likert scale, with options covering “no (1),” “a little (2),”
pressures than parents of healthy children . “medium (3),” “quite a few (4),” and “very much (5).” The
[12]
However, the group characteristics of caregivers of total score for the scale ranges from 22 to 110 points, with
children with congenital bone malformations indicate their a higher score indicating a higher level of the feeling of
susceptibility to emotional stress and care burden, making benefit. This scale has been validated in cancer patients and
it crucial to study this particular caregiving group. In the Alpha coefficient was 0.933.
addition, there is a lack of relevant research on whether the
sense of benefit plays a mediating role in the relationship 2.1.3. General control sub-scale (SCI)
between psychological control and care burden. Therefore, The psychological control scale utilized in this study is the
building on the cognitive regulation theory of stress, this Chinese version of the Shapiro control questionnaire ,
[14]
study aims to delve further into the influencing mechanism which has two factors, 15 items, and two dimensions,

Volume 1 Issue 2 (2023) 2 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcbp.1041