“Psychoeducation Responsive to Families”: Twelve and twenty-four month outcomes for the family member with mental illness from a randomized clinical effectiveness trial for families with an adult member with mental illness


Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

5063.0: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 - 8:30 AM

Abstract #105779

“Psychoeducation Responsive to Families”: Twelve and twenty-four month outcomes for the family member with mental illness from a randomized clinical effectiveness trial for families with an adult member with mental illness

David E. Pollio, PhD¹, Victoria A. Osborne, MSW¹, Jennifer McClendon, MSW¹, and Carol S. North, MD, MPE². (1) George Warren Brown 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: Psychoeducation group models have been empirically validated in highly controlled clinical settings, but not in communities where dissemination is based. This presentation describes outcomes for family members with illness (FMI) participating in “PsychoEducation Responsive to Families” (PERF), a year-long multi-family group, conducted at National Alliance for the Mentally Ill of St. Louis. Each PERF group determined its own curriculum, drawing resources from a standardized manual. Families were eligible regardless of their FMI's psychiatric diagnosis.

Methods: Families were recruited from community workshops and randomly assigned to PERF or a comparison condition with a scripted family education program (n=183). FMIs were assessed at intake, 12- and 24-months for quality-of-life, social support, medication compliance, and days hospitalized. T-tests and regression analyses were conducted comparing (a) for PERF participants, intake versus 12- and 24-month outcomes; (b) between PERF and comparison condition, intake versus follow-ups, and examining (c) predictors of outcomes (FMI diagnosis, group participant relationship to FMI).

Results: FMIs had significant increases in social support and quality of life at 12-month follow-up and improved medication compliance at 12- and 24-months. FMIs with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia diagnoses and with insurance demonstrated improved medication compliance. No differences were found between study conditions.

Discussion: Results from this study indicate that PERF was successful in improving long-term outcomes for FMIs. These findings, combined with previous ones for family-level outcomes (APHA, 2004), demonstrate the potential for PERF in “real world” settings. Practitioners should focus recruitment efforts on families with primary FMI diagnosis of bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to

1)Describe the “PsychoEducation Responsive to Family” (PERF) model;
2)Discuss the impact of PERF on families and their member with the illness;
3)Identify potential populations and settings for translation of the psychoeducation model.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation

The Role of Consumers and Families in Mental Health Treatment

The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA