Multiple family therapy: an overview

Asen, Eia

doi:10.1111/1467-6427.00197

Cited by 165 publications

(136 citation statements)

References 23 publications

(25 reference statements)

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“…The literature reviews by Asen (2002) and Chien and Norman (2009) on family intervention in schizophrenia suggest that mental health professionals may be hesitant to implement such a highly structured and intensive form of family therapy due to inadequate resources and a lack of trained therapists. In addition, traditional models of family intervention may not be readily accepted by Chinese families because of their reluctance to openly disclose their thoughts and feelings in the presence of the therapist or other people perceived to be unfamiliar with their family situations and needs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…By participating in a mutual support group, each family caregiver can share and re-examine his/her own caregiving difficulties and challenges with other families in a similar situation. During group meetings, each participant can also learn from others by exchanging caregiving experiences and information about mental illness (Asen, 2002). Maton and Salem (1995) applied the concepts of the psychological empowerment of individual participants and the social action process in a mutual support group in a case study on GROW, an international mutual support group network for mentally ill people that originated in Australia in 1957.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The effectiveness of mutual support group intervention for Chinese families of people with schizophrenia: A randomised controlled trial with 24-month follow-up

Chien

Chan

2013

International Journal of Nursing Studies

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Background: Positive effects on the relapse from illness and compliance with medication by patients have been observed from family intervention for schizophrenia. However, little attention has been paid to the effects on family members, particularly those in non-Western countries. Inconsistent and inconclusive findings were found on the family-related outcomes and longer-term effects of family intervention.Objective: This study tested the effects of a nine-month family-led mutual support group for Chinese people with schizophrenia, compared with a psycho-education group and standard psychiatric care over a 24-month follow-up. Design: A randomised controlled trial [registered with ClinicalTrials.gov(NCT00940394)]with repeated-measures, three-group design.Settings: Two regional psychiatric outpatient clinics in Hong Kong. Participants:One hundred and thirty-five Chinese family caregivers and their patients with schizophrenia were randomly recruited, of whom 45 family dyads received family-led mutual support group, a psycho-education group, or standard care. Methods:After completing the pre-test questionnaire, the participants were randomly assigned into one of the three study groups. The mutual support and psycho-education groups comprised 14 two-hour group sessions, with patients participating in at least 5 sessions.Those in standard care (and two treatment groups) received routine psychiatric care. Multiple patient and family-related psychosocial outcomes were compared at recruitment and at one week, 12 months, and 24 months following interventions. This is the Pre-Published Version. Conclusions: Family-led mutual support group for schizophrenia produces longer-term benefits to both the patients' and families' functioning and relapse prevention for patients, compared with psycho-education and standard care. This group programme can be an effective family intervention for Chinese people with schizophrenia.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effectiveness of mutual support group intervention for Chinese families of people with schizophrenia: A randomised controlled trial with 24-month follow-up

Chien

Chan

2013

International Journal of Nursing Studies

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“…There is relatively less conclusive evidence that supports an enthusiastic claim for their benefits in improving family functioning and satisfying families' psychosocial needs (Borkman, 1999). In Western and Asian communities, only a few studies have used mutual support groups as a major component of their psycho-educational programmes (Asen, 2002;Li and Arthur, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Mutual support groups are commonly used for patients with different mental health problems, such as schizophrenia and eating disorders, in Western countries (Asen, 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effectiveness and active ingredients of mutual support groups for family caregivers of people with psychotic disorders: A literature review

Chien

Norman

2009

International Journal of Nursing Studies

102

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Objectives: To explore the literature through a systematic search to assess the effectiveness of mutual support groups for family caregivers of people with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.Methods: This review of the research literature was based on the procedures suggested by the National Health Service Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (2001) Report Number 4 in the UK. A combined free-text and thesaurus approach was used to search relevant research studies within electronic databases, including Medline, Embase, CINAHL, OVID full-text, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Library, the British Nursing Index, the NHS National Research register, and System for Info on Grey literature for the period 1980-2007. Reference lists of all retrieved literature were also searched to identify studies that may have been missed. Twenty-five research studies were selected for inclusion in the analysis on the basis that they were either family-led or professional-facilitated support group programmes for family caregivers of people with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders.Results: The review identified that most studies on this group programme used qualitative, exploratory cross-sectional surveys and quasi-experimental study designs (n= 19); six were experimental studies or randomised controlled trials. There were only a few small-scale, singlecentre controlled trials with the findings supporting the significant positive effects of mutual support groups on families' and patients' psychosocial well-being. A number of nonexperimental studies conducted in Western countries reported benefits of group participation up to one year, such as increased knowledge about the illness, reduced burden and distress, and enhanced coping ability and social support. However, many of these studies lacked rigorous control and did not use standardised and valid instruments as outcome measures or schedule follow-up to examine the long-term effects of support groups on families and/or patients. This is the Pre-Published Version.2 Conclusions: With increasing recognition of benefits from mutual support, this review highlights the dearth of evidence for the effects and active ingredients of mutual support groups.Mutual support may have significant impacts on long-term psychosocial and nursing interventions for both patients with severe mental illness and their families in community mental health care. Further research is recommended to investigate the therapeutic components and effects of mutual support groups for family caregivers of people with schizophrenia and psychotic disorders across cultures.

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“…Psychoeducational multifamily groups have been well established as family-focused interventions for chronic medical illnesses (Asen 2002). Albeit there is some debate concerning its effectiveness and moderators (Esplen 2011), such approaches have been stated as a useful tool to address the psychosocial interface between medical, individual and familial issues (Rolland and Williams 2005) because they typically include both patient and family members.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Are family-oriented interventions in Portuguese genetics services a remote possibility? Professionals’ views on a multifamily intervention for cancer susceptibility families

2012

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This article examines genetics healthcare professionals' opinions about a multifamily psychoeducational programme for hereditary cancer susceptibility families, implemented at a Portuguese genetics service. Their views on how a family-oriented approach is envisioned to be incorporated in Portuguese genetic counselling services are also reported. Six focus groups and three individual interviews were undertaken comprising 30 professionals working in the provision of genetic counselling and genetic counsellor trainees. Participants were given a page-summary describing the intervention and asked to comment the strengths and limitations of the multifamily intervention. All interviews were fully transcribed and analysed using the constant comparison method. The qualitative analysis generated data comprising four thematic categories in relation to the professionals' views: (a) usefulness of the programme; (b) programme's methodological and practical obstacles; (c) genetics services constraints; and (d) suggestions for improving the programme and further family-oriented interventions. We reflect on the reported views examining the intervention, and on how current constraints of genetic services limit the provision of psychosocial support for cancer susceptibility families. The implications of these findings regarding the purpose of genetic counselling are discussed. Results may sensitise stakeholders and policy makers for the need to deliver family-based services in cancer genetic counselling, with adequate planning and collaborative involvement of different professionals.

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Multiple family therapy: an overview

Cited by 165 publications

References 23 publications

The effectiveness of mutual support group intervention for Chinese families of people with schizophrenia: A randomised controlled trial with 24-month follow-up

The effectiveness of mutual support group intervention for Chinese families of people with schizophrenia: A randomised controlled trial with 24-month follow-up

The effectiveness and active ingredients of mutual support groups for family caregivers of people with psychotic disorders: A literature review

Are family-oriented interventions in Portuguese genetics services a remote possibility? Professionals’ views on a multifamily intervention for cancer susceptibility families

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