Online Family Support and Education for Schizophrenia
Condition: Schizophrenia
MeSH terms: Schizophrenia
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This study evaluated the benefits of providing relatives of patients diagnosed with
      schizophrenia the opportunity to interact with each other using the Internet. It was
      hypothesized that patients whose relatives had access to the internet intervention would have
      reduced symptoms and greater community tenure, compared to their counterparts who did not
      have relative access to the internet education and support program. We also collected
      information on how frequently the relatives used the website and how well they liked its
      features.
    

Detailed description: 
      Although psychoeducational programs for schizophrenia can reduce patient relapse rates and
      reduce family distress, participation rates are often low. This study evaluated an online
      model to provide the families of schizophrenia patients with knowledge of illness management
      to reduce family burden and increase perceived social support.

      Relatives of patients with schizophrenia who received 12 months of customary care with access
      to the educational website for the first year were compared to matched group of relatives of
      individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia who were receiving customary care and who consented
      to participate in a family education program. In the education condition, relatives were
      provided with private, secure access to the website, which features family-to-family chat
      capabilities, video lectures on the management of schizophrenia, written materials on
      important issues in schizophrenia management, professionally facilitated online discussions
      of the material, and additional resource links.

      Relatives were assessed using 90-minute interviews at the beginning of the project and every
      6 months for 12 months. The interviews were used to assess the family member's perception of
      the patient's symptoms, his or her knowledge of the illness, the illness's impact on the
      family member, and his or her perception of the website intervention.

      Patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were also asked to complete
      interviews and assessments at the beginning of the project and every 6 months for 12 months.
      The assessments include questions about symptoms, medication compliance and side effects,
      hospitalizations, and social functioning.

      The major hypotheses were that relative participation in the online program would be
      associated with lower symptoms rates and hospitalizations in the patients.
    

Intervention name(s): Online Family Education; Customary care
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Families were provided with private, secure access to the website, which features family-to-family chat capabilities, video lectures on the management of schizophrenia, written materials on important issues in schizophrenia management, professionally facilitated online discussions of the material, and additional resource links.; Participants received care as usual.
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Schizophrenia; Family; Psychoeducation; Internet