Validating the burden of psychiatric illness scale (BPIS): A measure of the self-perceived impact of psychiatric illness on psychosocial functioning and of stress related to managing psychiatric illness

Abstract

Conclusions Through supporting the validity of the BPIS-r, this study has helped expand the concept of “illness burden” from the realm of medical illness to the realm of psychiatric illness. Future research should continue to assess and refine the BPIS-r’s and BPIS’s construct, differential, and concurrent-convergent validity. In addition, future research should use the BPIS-r to investigate the factors that predispose individuals to psychiatric interference and management stress, explore the outcomes of psychiatric interference and management stress, and develop interventions addressing psychiatric interference with functioning and stress related to mental health management. Clinically, providers can use the BPIS-r to identify the specific areas of functioning most negatively impacted by psychiatric symptoms and the specific mental-health management responsibilities placing the greatest burden on the client and customize treatment accordingly. In addition, given that the BPIS-r was validated on a sample of Latino/a and Black individuals and of individuals of low SES, the BPIS-r can be used to help reduce the burden of psychiatric illness among these vulnerable groups.