SKRBNIŠTVO KROZ MODEL PROCESA STRESA: STRESORI, PROMJENE I SOCIJALNA PODRŠKA
GUARDIANSHIP THROUGH THE STRESS PROCESS MODEL: STRESSORS, CHANGES AND SOCIAL SUPPORT

Summary/Abstract: In Croatia, almost half of adults under guardianship live with their families, and for most of them, their guardian is a family member. The burden of care affects caregivers' mental and physical health and this relationship is moderated by social support. Therefore, drawing on the Stress Process Model and using a secondary, theory-driven thematic analysis, this paper explores which stressors and which changes guardians of adults under guardianship experience in caring for their wards, as well as what kind of social support they perceive. The analysis includes data from interviews with 11 caregivers (parents or partners) of persons deprived of legal capacity due to mental disorder (schizophrenia). The results indicate that caregivers as primary stressors identify changes in the ward's behavior as well as refusal of treatment and non-cooperation. These primary stressors lead to secondary stressors – role strain of guardians and challenges in household maintenance, and contextual stressors – stigma from the environment and lack of formal support. These stressors accumulate into a care burden. The changes perceived by caregivers include difficulties in mental and physical health, disruptions in everyday life, and reduced social life. Caregivers perceive support from the family, while formal support is fragmented and often absent. In conclusion, guardianship facilitates the representation of wards and property protection, but it doesn't reduce the everyday demands of care – this requires flexible services and the development of formal support models.

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