This article seeks to examine the factors affecting the caregiver's appraisal of caring for a mentally ill relative. Two hundred and ten caregivers attending to a family member with chronic mental illness in India were interviewed for the study. the results of path analysis indicate burden experienced in the context of caregiving, patient's illness characteristics, and kinship support to be the most significant factors contributing to the caregiver's appraisal of the caregiving experience. The implications of the findings are summarised.
