EFFECTS OF MULTIFAMILY GROUP TREATMENT ON RELATIVES OF DEPRESSED PATIENTS (FAMILY BURDEN, COPING, ROLE PERFORMANCE).
Contributors: University of Rochester.
Published: 1992
Number of pages: 223
Subjects: Health Sciences, Mental Health.; Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: A descriptive, comparison group design with repeated measures was used to test multifamily group treatment effects on family members' perceived uncertainty, problem-focused coping, and family burden and on depressed patients' rehospitalization and role performance. Additionally, a model was tested which depicted relationships among perceived uncertainty, problem-focused coping, family burden, patients' rehospitalization, and role performance.

Fifty relatives of hospitalized, depressed patients (n = 48) or of depressed patients directly admitted to a daytreatment program (n = 2) constituted the convenience sample. Multifamily treatment and non-family focused groups received comparable types of treatment after hospital discharge or entry into the day treatment program with the exception of multifamily group treatment as planned.

Data were collected during two interviews. The first interview was completed immediately prior to patients' discharge from the hospital or immediately upon entry into the daytreatment program. The second interview occurred approximately four months later. The following measurements were used: Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (administered at pre-test only), the Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale, the revised Ways of Coping Checklist, and the Social Behavioral Assessment Schedule (all administered during both interviews).

Multifamily group treatment was not found to be more effective than non-family focused care. Severity of depression scores for patients in both groups were comparable.

Findings did not support the model. Perceived uncertainty was a poor predictor of problem-focused coping. Neither problem-focused coping approaches nor subjective and objective burden functioned as mediating variables of perceived uncertainty on the outcome measures of rehospitalization or role performance.

Further evaluation of the effects of multifamily group treatment is warranted. Recommendations include use of a qualitative approach to determine the efficacy of the treatment mode and further study of predictors and mediators of family burden.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-06, Section: B, page: 2990.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER, 1992.

School code: 0188.