Researchers at the Center for Medical Ethics have studied the importance of including families in the care of patients with psychotic disorders.
National guidelines for evaluating, treating, and following up with individuals with psychotic disorders recommend family involvement, individual therapy, and medical treatment.
“In this study, we investigated how patients with psychotic disorders experienced family involvement and the impact it had on them,” says researcher Kristiane Myckland Hansson.
Understanding Patient Experiences
While earlier research has shown the effectiveness of family involvement in the treatment of people with psychotic disorders, there have been fewer qualitative studies on the patients’ personal experiences with this treatment method.
In this study, researchers interviewed 13 individuals with psychotic disorders who had participated in basic family involvement or family psychoeducation (FPE).
FPE is an evidence-based treatment where patients and their relatives learn about the disorder, its treatment, and how to communicate better, while also receiving emotional support.
The findings of this study have been published in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry.
Positive Experiences and Better Communication
“Patients consistently reported positive experiences with systematic family involvement, and many wished their families could have been involved earlier in their treatment,” says Myckland Hansson.
Family involvement led to better understanding of the disorder within the family, as well as improved knowledge about the patient’s situation and challenges.
This shared understanding reduced stress levels, enhanced communication, and fostered a more caring family environment.
“The patients felt they handled their illnesses and life situations better and believed that their family members could provide more practical and emotional support.
Several patients believed that systematic family involvement helped prevent relapse,” she adds.
Role of Clinicians and Timing of Intervention
The study revealed that clinicians played a crucial role in facilitating communication between patients and their relatives.
“Clinicians were an important source of information and knowledge about the patients’ disorder, treatment, and situation,” Myckland Hansson says.
“They created safe spaces where patients and relatives could share their experiences.”
The patients felt that systematic family involvement should be offered early in the treatment process, allowing family members to contribute to the treatment and understand the situation from the outset.
“Establishing systematic family involvement early on, especially for younger patients, was important to prevent future challenges,” says Myckland Hansson.
However, the initial phase of the systematic family involvement was sometimes challenging for some patients due to feelings of vulnerability and not wanting to burden their families.
Adapting to Individual Needs
Psychotic disorders can vary significantly in severity among patients, so there was a need for systematic family involvement to be adapted to the patient’s individual needs.
The study is part of a larger project, “Family involvement during severe mental health problems,” aimed at improving cooperation between family, the patient, and the health care system to enhance the psychosocial health of patients and their families and the quality of services.
This study was conducted from 2017 to 2023 and included 15 treatment units.
“This study gives us an in-depth understanding of the factors and processes that lead to positive effects from systematic family involvement.
It supports research showing that systematic family involvement is significant for patients, their families, and health care services.
Systematic family involvement should be an integral part of the treatment offered to all newly diagnosed patients with psychotic disorders,” Myckland Hansson concludes.
If you care about mental health, please read studies about who will respond best to ketamine for severe depression, and Vitamin B6 could reduce anxiety and depression.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about a safer, more effective cancer therapy, and results showing gardening work may help lower cancer risk, boost mental health.
The study was published in Frontiers in Psychiatry.
Copyright © 2023 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
