Factors associated with subjective burden in siblings of adults with severe mental illness

Experiences of subjective burden were analyzed in a sample of 164 siblings of persons with serious mental illness. Findings indicated that the well sibling's experience of burden was consistently related to the symptomatology of the ill sibling. In addition, those who viewed the ill sibling's behavior as outside his or control exhibited lower levels of subjective burden than did those who viewed the behavior as within the sibling's control. Implications for research and clinical intervention are discussed.