Abstract
M.Cur. (Nursing Science)
People play a major role in each other’s lives and this is because they rely on one
another for survival. Many studies have been done on families and how they
experience having persons challenged with mental illness but little has been done on
couples and how they experience a relationship where one is challenged with mental
illness or on the facilitation of the mental health of couples in a relationship where
one is challenged with mental illness.
The purpose of this study is to explore and describe the lived experience of couples
in a relationship where one is challenged with mental illness in order to describe
guidelines to facilitate the mental health of the couples.
A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was utilised.
The research was done in two phases. Phase one focused on an exploration of the
lived experiences of couples in a relationship where one is challenged with mental
illness. Phase two focused on guidelines to facilitate the mental health of the couples
as a framework for the advanced psychiatric nurse practitioner.
Purposive sampling was employed in selecting participants for the research study.
The criteria were set out to be: couples in a relationship where one is challenged
with mental illness with the willingness to participate and above the age of eighteen
years.
Phenomenological interviews were conducted and field notes gathered. Tesch’s
method of data analysis was applied to analyse the data. Themes and categories
were identified and a consensus was reached with the independent coder.
Measures to ensure trustworthiness were considered and the criteria for ensuring
rigour included truth value, applicability, consistency and neutrality. Ethical principles
were also adhered to and those included: autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence
and justice to protect the human participants.
Findings have shown that both partners in a relationship where one is challenged
with mental illness, experience challenges in the relationship. They experience the
relationship as different to what it was before there was mental illness. The couples experience a change in their social roles, as the partner with mental illness cannot
work, provide, or fulfil his or her role in the relationship. The partner without mental
illness carries more responsibility than before because of the demands which the
mental illness imposes in the relationship. There is also emotional upheaval
experienced by both partners because being in the relationship for both of them is
overwhelming. They also experience interpersonal distance linked to unhealthy
relational patterns characterised by constant fights and drifting apart. The couples
also experience a changed relationship with the self, and financial challenges as the
mental illness cost them a great deal.
The partners with mental illness experience rejection and feel undeserving of
spousal support, whereas the partners without mental illness experience a burden
due to the increased responsibility that they have to assume and that is both socioeconomic
and household roles.
Guidelines based on the findings as described by the couples were described in
Chapter Four in order to facilitate the mental health of couples in a relationship
where one is challenged with mental illness. Recommendations for mental health
nursing practice, mental health nursing education and mental health nursing
research were made. The study was evaluated and limitations were outlined.