The effectiveness of family interventions on psychological distress and expressed emotion in family members of individuals diagnosed with first-episode psychosis: A systematic review protocol

• Main Authors: Napa,W., Tungpunkom,P., McCann,T.V.
• Format: Review
• Published: Joanna Briggs Institute 2015
• Subjects: Medicine (all); Nursing (all)
• Online Access: http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=84909984320&origin=inward; http://cmuir.cmu.ac.th/handle/6653943832/38160
• Institution: Chiang Mai University

Review question/objective The overall objective of this review is to examine the effectiveness of family interventions (i.e. education, psychoeducation, communication and coping skills training, problem-solving training and cognitive-behavioral therapy) for family members of persons with first-episode psychosis. The specific review question to be addressed is: What interventions are the most effective in impacting on family members' psychological distress and expressed emotion? Inclusion criteria Types of participants This review will consider studies that target family members of individuals diagnosed with FEP aged 15-30 years. An individual with FEP is defined as a person who presents for the first time with psychotic features to an emergency department, psychiatric hospital or psychiatric outpatients' department and is diagnosed according to criteria based on the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Third Edition Revised (DSM-III-R), the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition Text Revision (DSM-IV TR), or the World Health Organization's International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10). Studies investigating caregivers or siblings of those with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, including schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorders and undifferentiated schizophrenia, who have experienced symptoms for no more than two years, will also be included. Studies focusing on caregivers or siblings of persons with affective psychosis or affective disorders will be excluded because this group are different in terms of treatment and interventions. Types of intervention(s)/phenomena of interest For the purpose of this review, a family intervention is defined as relevant education, psychoeducation, communication and coping skills training, problem-solving skills training and CBT provided to family members who care for a person with FEP. These interventions will be compared with usual care such as receiving medical treatment and advice from clinicians and nurses. Types of outcomes The review will consider studies that measure outcomes related to psychological distress and expressed emotion of family caregivers of individuals with FEP. This includes but is not restricted to: 1. Appraisal and attitudes toward individual with FEP, i.e., self-report, attitude score TRUNCATED AT 350 WORDS.