Meaningful Life of Male Family Caregiver for Individuals With Schizophrenia

Abstract

This study aims to find out the description of the meaning of life and the factors that influence the meaningfulness of the male family caregiver’s life, who care for person with schizophrenia. This research is a type of qualitative research with a case study approach. Data collection was carried out using a semi-structured interview method with triangulation of sources and member checking as a validity test. The data in this study were analyzed using an interactive model analysis technique proposed by Miles & Huberman. Participants in this study were two men who work and single family caregiver of his family member with schizophrenia. The results of this study show aspects of the meaningfulness of life that emerged from the participants were the meaning of life, freedom, decency in life, attitudes toward death, and no thoughts of suicide. Factors that affect the meaningfulness of life are human quality, values, and encounter. This study show the appreciation of the meaning of life and the different levels of meaningfulness in life. This is because the meaning of life is subjective.

Key word : Meaning of life, Family caregiver, Schizophrenia.