The Effect of Support Group Participation on Caregiver Burden among Parents of Adult Offspring with Severe Mental Illness

Cook, Judith Α.; Heller, Tamar; Pickett-Schenk, Susan A.

doi:10.2307/585248

Cited by 49 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Consistent with findings of previous studies in the US (Cook et al 1999), this study demonstrated a significant reduction in the patients' duration of psychiatric hospitalization for the schizophrenia sufferers of the mutual support group participants over the 12-month follow-up period. Length of patients' hospital stay over different follow-up periods has been used in previous studies as an outcome indicator of patients' mental condition and an additional cost for the mental health care system (Hogarty et al 1997).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…Reduction of the duration of patients' rehospitalization, as found in this study, is considered as one of the important benefits of participation in a mutual support group for families of people with chronic physical or mental illness. Whilst important in its own right, it has been found also to be strongly associated with improvements in patients' general health status (Zola 1991) and families' psychological adjustment (Cook et al 1999;McCallion and Toseland 1995).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluation of a Peer‐Led Mutual Support Group for Chinese Families of People with Schizophrenia

Chien

Thompson

Norman

2008

American J of Comm Psychol

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Family interventions in schizophrenia have shown positive effects on patients but little attention has been paid to their effects on family members, particularly those in non-Western countries. This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of a bi-weekly, 12-session, family-led mutual support group for Chinese caregivers of schizophrenia sufferers over 6 months compared with standard psychiatric care. It was conducted with 76 families of outpatients with schizophrenia in Hong Kong of whom 38 were assigned randomly to either a mutual support group or standard care. Families' psychosocial health status and patients' symptom severity and length of re-hospitalizations at recruitment, one-week and 12-month post-intervention were compared between groups. Results of repeated-measures mixed model indicated that the mutual support group experienced significantly greater improvements in families' burden, functioning and number of support persons and length of patients' re-hospitalizations at two post-tests. The findings provide evidence that mutual support groups can be an effective family-initiated, community-based intervention for Chinese schizophrenia sufferers.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of a Peer‐Led Mutual Support Group for Chinese Families of People with Schizophrenia

Chien

Thompson

Norman

2008

American J of Comm Psychol

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“…Single cohort or non-equivalent groups were used in seven studies reviewed: Gidron, Guterman and Hartman (1990), Mannion et al (1996), Medvene et al (1995), and Cook, Heller and Pickett-Schenk (1999) used participants vs. non-participants; Heller, Roccoforte and Cook (1997a) used longitudinal non-equivalent groups; and Sheridan andMoore (1991) andTurnbull et al (1994) used a single cohort. Although the research design might induce a systematic sampling bias or limit the power of their generalisation to future mutual support group studies, the findings provided more information about the perceived benefits of group participation to family caregivers of people with severe mental illness.…”

Section: Non-experimental Comparative Studies -Single Cohort Longitmentioning

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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“…Contact with others also leads to a more positive sense of morale (Maurin & Boyd, 1990;Potasznik & Nelson, 1984;Goynea, 1990;Falloon & Pederson, 1985;Carpentier et al, 1992;Cook et al, 1999).…”

Section: Narrowing Of Social Networkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Patterns of exclusion of carers for people with mental health problems — the perspectives of professionals

Gray¹,

Robinson

Seddon³

et al. 2010

Journal of Social Work Practice

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A major issue in research, policy and professional practice is the social exclusion of carers, in particular carers for people with mental health problems. In order to address the issue of social exclusion from the perspectives of professionals, 65 participants were interviewed. The sample included directors, managers and senior staff from the social care, health and voluntary sectors. Respondents were asked to comment at length on the social exclusion of carers. Findings highlight four main types of exclusion: first, personal exclusions, including stigma; keeping mental health problems 'a secret'; and taboos surrounding mental health care; second, social exclusions, such as isolation; narrowing of social networks; restrictions due to time commitments; exclusions relating to education, training, employment and leisure; and young carers; third, service exclusions involving carers being taken for granted and having difficulties with access to appropriate services; and fourth, financial or economic exclusions that lead to carers paying for care. This paper documents patterns of exclusion and draws out implications for research, policy and professional practice. In conclusion this paper also considers the ways in which professionals and services may better promote the social inclusion of carers for people with mental health problems in the future.

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The Effect of Support Group Participation on Caregiver Burden among Parents of Adult Offspring with Severe Mental Illness

Cited by 49 publications

References 30 publications

Evaluation of a Peer‐Led Mutual Support Group for Chinese Families of People with Schizophrenia

Evaluation of a Peer‐Led Mutual Support Group for Chinese Families of People with Schizophrenia

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

Patterns of exclusion of carers for people with mental health problems — the perspectives of professionals

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