Needs of Families of Individuals with Serious Mental Illness in Psychosocial Rehabilitation: A Focus Group-Based Qualitative Study

Abstract

Objective: To explore the needs of families of individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) within the context of a public psychosocial rehabilitation service (PSR). A second aim was to identify and propose strategies to enhance family engagement and improve the effectiveness of family intervention programs. Methods: Qualitative study involving three focus groups: 1) service users (i.e., individuals with SMI), 2) family members, and 3) professionals (nursing/social work). A fourth group consisted of experts in the field of psychosocial rehabilitation (psychologists/psychiatrists) interpreted the results. A thematic analysis approach was used to evaluate the data. Results: Family members expressed needs in the following areas: space for emotional expression; adjustment of expectations; communication; support; sexuality; management of family secrets; and acceptance of the mental health condition. Family members also reported a need for more information, assistance in dealing with stigma, and more support to foster autonomy. In many cases, the groups found it difficult to identify the needs of the other groups. Overall, the results reveal the important burden facing the family. Conclusions and implications for practice: The findings of this exploratory study suggest that more tailored interventions are needed to better address the emotional and practical needs of families of individuals with SMI. We propose several changes to improve intervention programs, including therapeutic approaches specifically designed to address the needs identified in this study and new strategies to improve treatment engagement. If implemented, these proposed changes could improve treatment outcomes in this clinical population. In future studies, we recommend using larger, more diverse samples to test the current results.