USING INTEGRATED BUDDHIST PSYCHOLOGY IN BUILDING STRENGTH OF MIND IN RELATIVES LOOKING AFTER CHRONICALLY ILL PEOPLE IN CHIANG RAI.

Abstract

The article has objectives to 1) study the treatment and encouragement of
relatives who care for chronic patients in Chiang Rai Province, 2) study the process of
mental strengthening of relatives who care for chronic patients according to Buddhist
psychology and 3) to analyze the model and application of integrated Buddhist
psychology in building mental strength of relatives caring for chronic patients in Chiang Rai
Province. This is the qualitative research and collecting data through the tools called
document and interview. The research result found that:

1) Treatment and encouragement of relatives who care for chronic patients in
Chiang Rai Province found that physical treatment was the task of medical doctor to
manage according to the academic procedure, but for the patient’s relatives, mentally
consideration was important, apart from facilitation and general care, there should be mind
caring for both self and patient to be strong mind as well.
2) The process of mental strengthening of relatives who care for chronic
patients according to Buddhist psychology was through the 8-step process of learning

through self-experience as follows: 1. self-knowing and understanding of others, 2. self-
assessment, 3. condition finding, 4. choice striving, 5. ready to do it, 6. soar the way, 7. life-
planning expansion and 8. skill measurement and follow up. And
3) Analyzing of the model and application of integrated Buddhist psychology
in building mental strength of relatives caring for chronic patients in Chiang Rai Province
was through the following: 1. external sources of support that promoted mental
strength, 2. the inner strength of the individual, 3. problem-management and
interpersonal skills, 4. interpersonal communication,5. planning, 6. action was
integrated into the principles of Sammaditthi(right-right), Sammawayama(right trying)
and Sammasti(right-mindedness) according to Buddhist methods.