Abstract: There are many adults with mental disorders in China, and problems such as the stress faced by their primary caregivers and their needs are becoming increasingly prominent. This qualitative study conducted semi-structured interviews to understand the care experiences of primary caregivers of adults with mental disorders. The study found that the primary caregivers experienced physical, emotional, social burden, and burden of time dependence and limited opportunity for self-growth. The cause of burden was mainly due to the gap between the caregivers’ anticipation and psychological adjustment, low level of early rehabilitation among the cared, poor family economic level and low service accessibility. This study also found that primary caregivers of adults with mental disabilities can also experience three positive experiences in the process of caring: sense of caring achievement, strengthening connections, and the enlightenment of life meaning. These positive experiences in interacting with their cared ones played a positive role in alleviating their care burden. The interlacing and co-action of burden and positive experience constitute the caring experience of caregivers in interaction with those with mental disorders, which presents the characteristics of dynamic change in different stages of life course. In the future a social support system with the government, market and society as the main body should be built, so as to enhance the positive experience of caregivers and improve policies and service for people with mental disabilities and their caregivers.

Key words: adults with mental disorders, primary caregiver, caregiving burden, positive experience, social support system