Gender Influence on severe Mental Disorders: Relationship between Behavior Problems and Family Burden

Gender differences in behavior problems and their relationship with family burden in severe mental disorders were analyzed. The Behavior Problems Inventory (BPI) and two items related to family burden (FB 1: "Do you feel able to endure the illness or disorder and the problems it causes?" and FB 2: "How often are you overwhelmed by these behavior/illness problems?") were administered to 235 key informants under treatment in a community mental health unit. The results show that men presented more behavior problems and family burden, with significant differences in impulse dyscontrol and severe behavior problems. A positive correlation was found between behavior problems and family burden, where the inactivity/social withdrawal dimension was the best predictor of family load for men and women. We conclude that men have more behavior problems and that the inactivity/social withdrawal dimension has the most explanatory power for family burden in both men and women.