Objective:To explore the caregiving experiences and social support needs of family caregivers for community-dwelling schizophrenia patients.Methods:This was a qualitative study. Using purposive sampling, 19 primary family caregivers were recruited from mental health clinics across three community health centers in Beijing Pinggu District from August to October 2024. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted, covering caregivers′ disease knowledge, daily challenges, concerns about the future, coping strategies, support needs, and the good and bad feelings during the care process. Interview transcripts were analyzed via NVivo 12.0 using Colaizzi′s phenomenological approach to extract themes.Results:Participants (10 male, 9 female; aged 41-82 years) included parents ( n=5), spouses ( n=9), children ( n=2), and siblings ( n=3) of patients with 7-40 years of caregiving experience. Six themes emerged: caregiving experience (medication supervision, daily living assistance, etc), caregiver burden (physical, emotional, financial), positive feelings during the care process (self-worth affirmation, familial duty), coping strategies, future concerns, and unmet support needs (economic aid, specialized eldercare, stigma reduction, information access). Conclusion:Family caregivers face considerable burdens, insufficient knowledge of schizophrenia, and heightened demands for economic support, yet they also report positive aspects of caregiving.

Objective:To explore the caregiving experiences and social support needs of family caregivers for community-dwelling schizophrenia patients.Methods:This was a qualitative study. Using purposive sampling, 19 primary family caregivers were recruited from mental health clinics across three community health centers in Beijing Pinggu District from August to October 2024. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted, covering caregivers′ disease knowledge, daily challenges, concerns about the future, coping strategies, support needs, and the good and bad feelings during the care process. Interview transcripts were analyzed via NVivo 12.0 using Colaizzi′s phenomenological approach to extract themes.Results:Participants (10 male, 9 female; aged 41-82 years) included parents ( n=5), spouses ( n=9), children ( n=2), and siblings ( n=3) of patients with 7-40 years of caregiving experience. Six themes emerged: caregiving experience (medication supervision, daily living assistance, etc), caregiver burden (physical, emotional, financial), positive feelings during the care process (self-worth affirmation, familial duty), coping strategies, future concerns, and unmet support needs (economic aid, specialized eldercare, stigma reduction, information access). Conclusion:Family caregivers face considerable burdens, insufficient knowledge of schizophrenia, and heightened demands for economic support, yet they also report positive aspects of caregiving.