A randomized controlled trial of bibliotherapy for carers of young people with first-episode psychosis. 2013

Terence V McCann, and Dan I Lubman, and Sue M Cotton, and Brendan Murphy, and Kingsley Crisp, and Lisa Catania, and Claudia Marck, and John F M Gleeson
To whom correspondence should be addressed; tel: +61-3-83958141, fax: +61-3-83958260, e-mail: terence.mccann@vu.edu.au.

Caring for young people with first-episode psychosis (FEP) is challenging and can adversely affect carer well-being, with limited evidence-based support materials available. We aimed to examine whether completion of a self-directed problem-solving bibliotherapy among carers of young people with FEP led to a better experience of caring, less distress and expressed emotion, and better general health than carers who only received treatment as usual (TAU). A randomized controlled trial was conducted across two early-intervention psychosis services in Melbourne, Australia. A total of 124 carers were randomized to problem-solving bibliotherapy intervention (PSBI) or TAU and assessed at baseline, 6-week and 16-week follow-up. Intent-to-treat analyses were carried out and indicated that recipients of PSBI had a more favorable experience of caring than those receiving TAU, and these effects were sustained at both follow-up time points. Across the other measures, both groups demonstrated improvements by week 16, although the PBSI group tended to improve earlier. The PSBI group experienced a greater reduction in negative emotional evaluations of the need to provide additional support to young people with FEP than the TAU group by week 6, while the level of psychological distress decreased at a greater rate from baseline to 6 weeks in the PSBI compared with the TAU group. These findings support the use of problem-solving bibliotherapy for first-time carers, particularly as a cost-effective adjunct to TAU.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D011340 Problem Solving A learning situation involving more than one alternative from which a selection is made in order to attain a specific goal.
D011618 Psychotic Disorders Disorders in which there is a loss of ego boundaries or a gross impairment in reality testing with delusions or prominent hallucinations. (From DSM-IV, 1994) Psychoses,Psychosis, Brief Reactive,Schizoaffective Disorder,Schizophreniform Disorders,Psychosis,Brief Reactive Psychoses,Brief Reactive Psychosis,Disorder, Psychotic,Disorder, Schizoaffective,Disorder, Schizophreniform,Disorders, Psychotic,Disorders, Schizoaffective,Disorders, Schizophreniform,Psychoses, Brief Reactive,Psychotic Disorder,Reactive Psychoses, Brief,Reactive Psychosis, Brief,Schizoaffective Disorders,Schizophreniform Disorder
D005260 Female Females
D005500 Follow-Up Studies Studies in which individuals or populations are followed to assess the outcome of exposures, procedures, or effects of a characteristic, e.g., occurrence of disease. Followup Studies,Follow Up Studies,Follow-Up Study,Followup Study,Studies, Follow-Up,Studies, Followup,Study, Follow-Up,Study, Followup
D006304 Health Status The level of health of the individual, group, or population as subjectively assessed by the individual or by more objective measures. General Health,General Health Level,General Health Status,Level of Health,Overall Health,Overall Health Status,General Health Levels,Health Level,Health Level, General,Health Levels,Health Status, General,Health Status, Overall,Health, General,Health, Overall,Level, General Health,Levels, General Health,Status, General Health,Status, Health,Status, Overall Health
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D001638 Bibliotherapy A form of supportive psychotherapy in which the patient is given carefully selected material to read. Bibliotherapies

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