The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #62791

David E. Pollio, PhD¹, Jennifer Boersma, MSW¹, Donna Reid, MSW¹, and Carol S. North, MD, MPE². (1) School of Social Work, Washington University, One Brookings Dr., Box 1196, St. Louis, MO 63130-4899, (314) 935-7516, depollio@gwbmail.wustl.edu, (2) School of Medicine, Washington University, Department of Psychiatry, 660 S Euclid, CB 8134, Renard Building, Room 2210, St. Louis, MO 63110

Purpose: Multifamily Psychoeducation groups have been empirically validated in highly controlled clinical settings, but not in community settings where dissemination occurs. This presentation describes 12-month outcomes for "PsychoEducation Responsive to Families" (PERF), a year-long multi-family group model, conducted at the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill of St. Louis. Each PERF group determined its own unique curriculum, drawing resources from a standardized manual. Families were eligible regardless of the psychiatric diagnosis of their member with the illness (FMI).

Methods: Families were recruited from community workshops and randomly assigned to either PERF or a comparison condition consisting of a scripted family education program of similar intensity. Families were assessed at intake, 12- and 24-months for family burden/coping, knowledge/mastery, service use, quality of life, FMI medication compliance, and FMI social relationships. The study enrolled 189 families, 123 to PERF and 66 to the comparison condition. This presentation will report baseline and 12-month follow-up data. T-tests and regression analyses were conducted (a) pre- and post-PERF, and (b) between intervention and comparison conditions.

Results: PERF participants reported significantly increased family knowledge/mastery, quality of life for both family and FMI, and decreased money spent by family on FMI. No significant differences were found between PERF and comparison conditions.

Discussion: Results indicated that the PERF intervention was as successful in improving specific outcomes for families and their FMI as an established intervention. Both PERF and scripted family interventions demonstrated effectiveness, indicating the potential for both interventions in "real world" settings.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to:
• 1)Describe the "PsychoEducation Responsive to Family" model;
• 2)Discuss the impact of psychoeducation interventions on families and their member with the illness;
• 3)Identify populations and settings for which the psychoeducation intervention might be appropriate.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.