In the current study, it was aimed to investigate the correlation between the caregivers of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (BD) patients in terms of burden, depression, anxiety and hopelessness.

Between March and July 2011, 75 schizophrenia and 50 euthymic BD patients' primary caregivers at the outpatient clinic in Bakırköy Research and Training Hospital for Psychiatry, Neurology and Neurosurgery participated in this study. Informed consent was obtained from all patients and their caregivers. Sociodemographic data form, PANSS, Beck Depression Scale, Young Mania Scale were applied to the patients. Sociodemographic data form, Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale, Beck Depression Scale, Beck Anxiety Scale and Beck Hopelessness Scale were given to the primary caregivers.

The burden level is found to be severe in the schizophrenia and BD patients’ caregivers. Seventy-two percent of schizophrenia patients’ caregivers and 62% of the bipolar disorder patients’ caregivers had depressive symptoms. The anxiety levels of the caregivers of the bipolar disorder patients were found to be significantly higher than that of the schizophrenia patients’ caregivers (p< 0.05). We found a positive correlation between the scores of the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale in the caregivers of the schizophrenia patients and PANSS positive, negative, and general psychopathology scores in schizophrenic patients (p< 0.05). There was found a positive correlation between the depression levels of BD patients and their caregivers’ burden scores (p< 0.05).

High level of burden in both groups’ caregivers was found. Therefore, this situation can be making it difficult to cope with these diseases.