AIM OF THE STUDY:
The aim is to study the experience of “caregiving” by parents of psychiatric adolescents in relation to patient‘s psychosocial functioning and psychopathology.

SAMPLE AND METHODOLOGY:
The sample is formed by adolescents referred to the daily service during the second half of 2007. They are 20 adolescents, 17 male (85%) and 3 female (15%) aged 12 – 19 years, divided in three age groups: 12-14 (20%), 15-17 (65%) and 18-19 (15%). 25% attends primary school, 40% secondary school, while 35% of patients interrupted educational career.
The Service for Adolescents is a daily center which receives adolescents between 12 and 19 with psychopathological disorders of middle - severe seriousness. Multiprofessional team is formed by a child neuropsychiatrist, a psychologist and three educationals.

The psychosocial functioning and the psychopathology were evaluated respectively throughout GAF (Global Assessment Functioning) and CBCL (Child Behavior Check List). The “caregiving” experience by parents of psychiatric adolescents was studied using an innovative questionnaire called ECI (Experience of Caregiving Inventory) (Szmukle,1996).

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:
Among the results, the correlation between GAF score and two ECI subscales, stigma and personal experiences, has to be pointed out. Our study made evident that if GAF score is low (worse psychosocial functioning), the perception of the stigma by parents is higher, whereas when GAF score is higher (better psychosocial functioning), caregivers’ positive experiences increase too. Other previous studies verified that the psychosocial functioning of the patients is a key-factor which contributes to make worse the “caregiving” experience for relatives (Tarricone, Szmukler, 2006). The datum regarding the “brand” can be read on the base of two copresent factors: the filiation relationship between caregivers and adolescent patient and the age of patients (adolescence period). These factors actually suppose a relation of dependence .

The intervention aimed to improve the psychosocial functioning of psychiatric adolescents then, can be important for the parental care experience, as well as for the consolidation of the working alliance between relatives and clinical staff, alliance which is worthwhile for both patients’ therapeutic compliance and the outcome (Gatta, Condini, 2005).

REFERENCES:
-Gatta M., Condini A., La relazione di alleanza con i genitori come fattore condizionante l’aderenza al progetto terapeutico e l’evoluzione clinica dell’adolescente con disagio psichico. Giornale Italiano di psicopatologia e psichiatria dell’infanzia e dell’adolescenza, 2005, Vol. XII, 2.
-Szmukler G.I., Burgess P., Hermann H., Benson A., Colusa S., Bloch S., Caring for relatives with serious mental illness: the development of the experience of caregiving inventory, Soc. Psychiatry Psychiatr. Epidemiol. 31 (3–4), (1996), pp. 137–148.
-Tarricone I., Leese M., Szmukler G.I., Bassi M., Bebardi D., The experience of carers of patiens with severe mental illness: a comparison between Lndon and Bologna, Eur Psychiatry. 2006 Mar, 21 (2): 93-101.