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Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research · Journal article
PLOS One · August 13, 2026
Encouraging direction, but not yet definitive.
This cross-sectional study of 120 caregivers of individuals with severe persistent mental illness in Saudi Arabia demonstrates significant positive correlations between caregiver burden and depression/anxiety (p < 0.001) and a significant negative correlation between burden and quality of life domains (p < 0.001 for physical, p = 0.013 for psychological). The findings are generated from a convenience sample at a single centre using validated instruments, providing preliminary evidence of the psychological toll on caregivers but not establishing causality or generalisability beyond the study setting.
Cross-sectional observational study. Caregivers of individuals with severe persistent mental illness attending psychiatry outpatient clinics at King Saud University Medical City; recruited via convenience sampling.. n = 120. King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Significant positive correlation between caregiver burden and depression and anxiety scores (p < 0.001) Significantly higher burden among female caregivers (p = 0.04) and those residing with patients (p = 0.002) Severity of mental illness associated with increased burden (p = 0.001)
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Clinicians and mental health professionals in Saudi Arabia and similar settings should recognize that caregiver burden is substantially associated with depression, anxiety, and reduced quality of life, suggesting a need to screen caregivers for psychological distress and implement targeted support interventions, particularly for those living with patients. The findings highlight vulnerable subgroups (females, spouses, children, and those cohabiting with patients) who may benefit from prioritized support.
A cross-sectional study of moderate sample size from a single centre reporting statistically significant correlations between caregiver burden and mental health outcomes, but lacking a comparator group and relying on self-reported questionnaires, limiting causal inference.
As stated by the source record.
Quoted from the source exactly as published.
Clinicians and mental health professionals in Saudi Arabia and similar settings should recognize that caregiver burden is substantially associated with depression, anxiety, and reduced quality of life, suggesting a need to screen caregivers for psychological distress and implement targeted support interventions, particularly for those living with patients. The findings highlight vulnerable subgroups (females, spouses, children, and those cohabiting with patients) who may benefit from prioritized support.
Graded across the dimensions that decide whether you should act, each from what the source actually supports. There is no single score, and where a dimension was not assessed it says so.
Caregivers of patients with Severe Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI) face tremendous challenges. They often experience elevated levels of burden, depression, and anxiety. These factors negatively impact their quality of life (QoL). However, few studies have examined caregiver burden and its psychological effects in Saudi Arabia. This study aims to assess caregiver burden in relation to socio-demographic characteristics and its correlation with depression, anxiety, and QoL. The study tool consisted of validated questionnaire, including the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), abridged Arabic version of the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF). A cross-sectional convenience sample of 120 participants was recruited from the Psychiatry Outpatient Clinics at King Saud University Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Our results showed a significant positive correlation between caregiver burden and depression and anxiety scores (p < 0.001). Moreover, significantly higher burden levels were found among female caregivers and those residing with patients, p = 0.04 and p = 0.002, respectively. Additionally, the severity of mental illness was also associated with an increased burden level (p = 0.001). Notably, spouses and children reported significantly higher burden levels (p = 0.036). In multivariable analyses, caregiver anxiety and perceived severity of the patient’s mental illness were independently associated with higher caregiver burden, while depressive and anxiety symptoms were independently associated with poorer quality of life.Furthermore, a significant negative correlation was found between caregiver burden and the physical and psychological QoL domains (p < 0.001 and p = 0.013, respectively). Collectively, our findings highlight the mental health challenges faced by caregivers of individuals with SPMI in Saudi Arabia, which negatively impact their QoL. Consequently, these findings substantiate the urgent need for targeted support interventions, particularly those addressing caregiver anxiety, depression, and the challenges associated with severe mental illness, especially for caregivers who live with or care for individuals with SPMI.
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