Feasibility and Accessibility of a Tailored Intervention for Informal Caregivers of People with Severe Psychiatric Disorders: a Pilot Study

Abstract

ObjectivesThis study aimed to assess the acceptability and feasibility of a new tailored intervention for informal caregivers: the Ensemble (Together) program.MethodsAn open pre–post within-subject comparison pilot study was conducted. Twenty-one informal caregivers completed the five-session Ensemble program. Two measurement tools were used: The Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and the Life Orientation Scale (LOT-R).ResultsThe results showed that informal caregivers were in need of individual support and were ready to participate in the Ensemble program independent of the patient’s diagnosis or stage of illness. The participants were very satisfied, and 95.4% completed the program. The preliminary results also showed that in five sessions, informal caregivers’ Global Severity Index measured by the BSI and their optimism about their future (measured by the LOT-R) were significantly improved.ConclusionThis pilot study provided preliminary results concerning the feasibility and acceptability of the tailored Ensemble program and indicates the need for a randomized trial. The Ensemble program is appropriate for both the acute and chronic phases of disease. Individualized brief and useful interventions for informal caregivers may provide more positive outcomes in care.

Optimism and the Psychological Recovery Process Among Informal Caregivers of Inpatients Suffering From Depressive Disorder: A Descriptive Exploratory Study

“…A 2008 French-language version of LOT-R was validated using 208 Francophone university students. This demonstrated that the French-language version possessed satisfactory psychometric properties comparable with those of the English-language version (Cronbach's alpha, 0.76; test-retest reliability, 0.74) (39,43).…”

“…According to Priestley & McPherson, even if caregivers can adapt to depression, they look to the future with hope but also apprehension due to the unpredictability of depression (19). To better support informal caregivers in their process of psychological recovery, individualized brief programs are recommended (39).…”

“…This descriptive exploratory study was conducted using 29 informal caregivers of patients suffering from a depressive disorder and hospitalized in a psychiatric inpatient or dayhospital setting. The term informal caregivers can imply family members, friends or any other significant individuals who consider themselves concerned by or involved with the patient and who gives that patient support or company (39). Data collection took place in two adult general psychiatry units and two day-hospital units in an institution in French-speaking Switzerland over a period of six months from October 2016 to March 2017.…”

Understanding the Impact of Patients’ Disease Types on Caregiving Time and Caregiver Burden: An Analysis of the Health Information National Trends Survey

“…In other words, caregivers who belong to underserved communities are most likely to experience worse levels of caregiver burden. This worrying nding underscores the urgent need for timely and effective interventions that could alleviate these underserved populations' caregiver burden, such as intervention programs that are tailored to these caregivers' unique unmet needs [50][51][52]. As these disadvantaged caregivers are often di cult to reach via traditional intervention measures [53,54], researchers may consider using more agile and exible programs, such as local reach programs [55][56][57][58][59] or technology-based solutions [60,61], to deliver relevant and effective health solutions to these caregivers in a convenient and cost-effective fashion.…”

A Mismatch of Paradigms Disrupts the Introduction of Psycho-Educative Interventions for Families of Persons with SMI: An Interview Study with Staff from Community Services

“…Also, co-operation and support from psychiatric services is regarded as crucial to the success of municipality programs. In the last years there has been a development of peer-to-peer family programs run by municipalities (Lucksted et al 2013 ; Rexhaj et al 2017 ). These programs have shown improved satisfaction for relatives of consumers with SMI in their daily lives, independent of professional support (Lucksted et al 2013 ; Pickett-Schenk et al 2008 ; Rexhaj et al 2017 ).…”