Generalizability of the NAMI Family-to-Family Education Program: Evidence From an Efficacy Study

Abstract

Previous studies conducted in Maryland of the Family-to-Family (FTF) education program of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) found that FTF reduced subjective burden and distress and improved empowerment, mental health knowledge, self-care, and family functioning, establishing it as an evidence-based practice. In the study reported here, the FTF program of NAMI-NYC Metro was evaluated. Participants (N=83) completed assessments at baseline and at completion of FTF. Participants had improved family empowerment, family functioning, engagement in self-care activities, self-perception of mental health knowledge, and emotional acceptance as a form of coping. Scores for emotional support and positive reframing also improved significantly. Displeasure in caring for the family member, a measure of subjective burden, significantly declined. Despite the lack of a control group and the limited sample size, this study further supports the efficacy of FTF with a diverse urban population.

Outcomes and change processes of an established family education program for carers of adults diagnosed with a serious mental health condition

“…Furthermore, higher levels of perceived group helpfulness, but not change in knowledge, uniquely predicted the growth trajectory of the primary outcome measure, carer's psychological distress. These results add to the growing evidence that FEPs are effective in not only reducing carer's psychological distress, but also in reducing self-blame and stigma and in strengthening the relationship with the person they support (Pickett-Schenk et al ., 2006; Yesufu-Udechuku et al ., 2015; Mercado et al ., 2016) via the experience of a supportive peer group and/or gain in knowledge.…”

The last taboo: The experience of violence in first‐episode psychosis caregiving relationships

“…In line with a recent trend in modifying interventions to target specific patient presentations in psychosis (e.g., Mueser et al 2013;O'Brien et al, 2014), the impact of tailoring carer and family intervention to address issues related to violence in caregiving relationships should be explored for their efficacy and ease of implementation in specialized early intervention in psychosis services. The contribution of peer-based interventions to improving the quality of family relationships in mental health and reducing conflict should also be considered (Mercado et al, 2016;Schiffman et al, 2015). Services need to be aware that carers are likely to be reluctant to share details about violence-related issues in their relationship, and this may particularly be the case in situations where the aggression recently commenced following the onset of illness (Hodgins & Klein, 2017).…”

Living with schizophrenia: Health‐related quality of life among primary family caregivers

“…Culturally congruent mental healthcare education or counselling should not only be directed at improving public attitudes and perceptions towards mental illness but also include primary family caregivers of individuals who have schizophrenia. Family psychoeducation in psychiatry constitutes evidence‐based practice to increase understanding of mental illness and thus reduce negative emotional attitudes of family caregivers (Mercado et al.,; Ngoc, Weiss, & Trung, ). Such programmes increase mental health literacy regarding the aetiology, symptoms, treatments and prognoses of mental illness in families which may in turn potentially mitigate the affiliate stigma and facilitate their HRQoL while living with the heredity nature of schizophrenia.…”