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The nurse is providing family-centered care for a patient with severe mental illness. The patient is currently hospitalized for displaying inappropriate sexual behavior, causing damage to the property of others, and aggressively arguing with family members.

Based on the patient's behavior, which type of distress is the family experiencing?

A. Social stigma of mental illness
B. Caregiver bunrout
C. Objective family burden
D. Subjective family burden

User Rvector
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The family is likely experiencing objective family burden due to the practical difficulties of managing the patient's behaviors. This is differentiated from subjective family burden, which refers to emotional and psychological distress. The social stigma of mental illness, as discussed by Erving Goffman, can compound these challenges faced by the family.

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on the patient's behavior and the impact on the family, the type of distress the family is experiencing is most likely Objective family burden. This type of burden refers to the practical and observable difficulties that families face when providing care for a family member with a severe mental illness, such as property damage and managing inappropriate behaviors. Subjective family burden, on the other hand, refers to the emotional and psychological distress a family experiences, which may include feelings of shame, guilt, or frustration related to the social stigma of mental illness or caregiver burnout, but the question specifically mentions observable behaviors such as property damage. Therefore, objective family burden is the most relevant to the situation described.

Sociologist Erving Goffman's work on the social stigma of mental illness highlights how these difficulties can be exacerbated by societal perceptions, leading to further discrimination and hindering the search for appropriate help. The type of distress that the family is experiencing based on the patient's behavior is called objective family burden. Objective family burden refers to the tangible, measurable difficulties that family members face as a result of caring for a loved one with a mental illness. In this case, the inappropriate sexual behavior, property damage, and aggressive arguments are causing direct harm to the family and their property, resulting in a significant burden.

User Mediobit
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