Multi-family psychoeducation groups in the treatment of children with mood disorders.
This study examined the impact of adjunctive multi-family psychoeducation groups (MFPG) on mood-disordered children aged 8 to 11 and their families. Participants were 35 children and 47 parents from families randomly assigned to either immediate MFPG plus treatment as usual (n = 18) or a 6-month wait-list condition plus treatment as usual (n = 17). At the 6 month follow up, immediate treatment families reported: Increased parental knowledge about childhood mood symptoms; increased positive family interactions as reported by the parent; increased perceptions of parental support as reported by children; and increased utilization of appropriate services by families. Expected impact on decreasing negative family interactions was not found. Results are largely consistent with hypothesized findings and support the need to further investigate the adjunctive role of psychoeducation in the treatment of childhood mood disorders.
Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, Ohio State University, 1670 Upham Drive, Suite 460G, Columbus, Ohio 43210-1250, USA. fristad.1@osu.edu
Mary A
MA
Fristad
Jill S
JS
Goldberg-Arnold
Stephen M
SM
Gavazzi
D002648:Child; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005195:Family Relations; D005196:Family Therapy; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D010290:Parents; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group