Psychoeducational multi‐family group treatment with adolescents at high risk for developing psychosis

Abstract

Aim: In this study, we investigate the feasibility and acceptability of a 9-month psychoeducational multifamily group (PMFG) intervention for adolescents who are at ultra-high-risk (UHR) for developing psychosis. Methods:The treatment programme was adapted from those previously shown to be effective in patients with established psychotic illness, but emphasizes content relevant to adolescence and to a pre-onset phase of illness.Results: Participants report that psychoeducational presentations are highly useful, they attend the PMFG group sessions regularly and report feeling comfortable in meetings and benefiting from them, and adolescents demonstrate improvement in symptoms and functional outcome. Conclusions:This study was not a randomized controlled trial and multiple interventions were introduced simultaneously; thus, changes in outcome cannot be attributed to the PMFG intervention per se. Nonetheless, these results establish the acceptability of PMFG to adolescents and families, and encourage further research into the potential positive impact of PMFG with this at-risk population.

What drives poor functioning in the at-risk mental state? A systematic review

“…Family support was predictive of better functioning (O'Brien et al, 2006(O'Brien et al, , 2007(O'Brien et al, , 2009. Caregiver warmth at baseline interview was significantly associated with patients' improvement in functioning over 3 and 4 months (O'Brien et al, 2006.…”

“…Small single-arm feasibility studies examining the effectiveness of psychoeducation have produced mixed results. A 9-month multi-family group treatment reported significant improvement in global and role functioning, in conjunction with improved positive and general symptoms (O'Brien et al, 2007). However, most participants (81%) were also receiving medication, and all were receiving additional psychological therapies.…”

A Systematic Review of Studies Using the Brief COPE: Religious Coping in Factor Analyses

“…Compared to the studies that had conducted their own exploratory factor analyses, those that based their factor structure on previous research tended to have smaller samples sizes. Of the 34 studies listed in Table 3, 14 studies had a sample size of less than 100 [77][78][79][80][81][82][83][84][85][86][87][88][89][90]. Some of the studies had more than 300 participants [91][92][93], where a factor analysis would have been supported by a sufficiently large sample size.…”

Limitations of Research on Psychosis in Childhood and Adolescence:Current Controversies and Future Directions

“…The degree of family support for the psychotic child is essential in being able to maximize treatment benefits in the least restrictive environment. Psychoeducational programs that include support for both the family and the youth at risk for psychosis have demonstrated benefits in symptom reduction and improved quality of life for adolescents [18,19]. Modest benefits have been shown from combining psychosocial interventions with Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) for children at risk for psychosis [20].…”