Early outcomes of a pilot psychoeducation group intervention for children of a parent with a psychiatric illness.
OBJECTIVE
This study reports early findings of a still-developing Youth Education and Support (YES) pilot intervention of multifamily group psychoeducation for youth with a parent with a psychiatric illness.


METHODS
Hypotheses predicted YES participants would increase pre-to-post: 1) Knowledge of psychiatric illness and recovery, and 2) Coping. A purposive sample of 17 youth, ages 10-16, participated in six lively, activity-focused, two-hour sessions within four groups facilitated by the PI and professionals employed within two public mental health agencies. Data revealed a significant increase in pre-to-post youth-reported knowledge (p= less than .001) and no significant change in overall coping. At post-intervention, youth reported significantly increased use of the coping skills of avoiding problems and relaxing, as indicated within these coping subscales.


CONCLUSIONS
Study limitations merit interpretation caution. They are useful for future research, including development and testing of youth psychoeducation programs with longer interventions, more emphases on coping, parent-inclusion, and larger samples using randomized, experimental designs. Suggestions for research, practice, and policy are provided.
Riebschleger
Joanne
J
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA. riebsch1@msu.edu
Tableman
Betty
B
Rudder
Danielle
D
Onaga
Esther
E
Whalen
Peg
P
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology*; D054541:Family Conflict / Q000523:psychology; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011340:Problem Solving; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012944:Social Support