title: Efficacy of a support group intervention on psychopathological characteristics among caregivers of psychotic patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Families of individuals with psychotic disorders are playing a major role in the care of their relatives, but report poorer physical competence, elevated symptoms of psychological distress and more psychopathological characteristics.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare psychopathological characteristics demonstrated by caregivers of psychotic patients in Greece who participated in support groups organized by non-governmental mental health organizations (NGOMH) compared to caregivers who did not.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were caregivers of a psychotic patient assigned to either the intervention group (n = 165) or the non-intervention group (n = 345) according to specific criteria. Participants were assessed for psychopathological characteristics through clinical interviews and with the Symptom Checklist 90-Revised (SCL-90-R).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants who did not take part in the support groups had higher levels of psychopathological characteristics on the dimensions of interpersonal sensitivity (t = -2.065, p = .003), depression (t = 1.043, p = .007), anxiety (t = 1.001, p = .010), hostility (t = -4.345, p < .001), phobic anxiety (t = -2.845, p < .001) and paranoid ideation (t = -1.091, p < .001). Psychotic relatives of participating caregivers show higher compliance rates in taking their medications, and female caregivers tend to be more involved in the support groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participation in support groups and sharing of emotional expression, thoughts and ideas help the caregivers deal with their physical and psychological demands related to the caregiver load. As such, intervention strategies offered to caregivers in the support groups appear to positively contribute to the family with a psychotic patient and improve the quality of life of both patients and their main caregivers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work, University Hospital of Patras, Patras, Greece Department of Neurology, University of Thessaly Medical School, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Manolis
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mentis
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychology Section, Department of Neurology, University of Patras Medical School, Patras, Greece lmessinis@upatras.gr.
authors.forename: Lambros
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Messinis
authors.affiliation: Higher Educational Institute of Larissa, Department of Nursing, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Evagelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kotrotsiou
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Thessaly Medical School, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikiforos V
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Angelopoulos
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, University Hospital of Patras, Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marneras
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychology Section, Department of Neurology, University of Patras Medical School, Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Papathanasopoulos
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Thessaly Medical School, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Euthymios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dardiotis
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D012657:Self-Help Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Caregivers; Symptom Checklist 90–Revised; non-governmental mental health organizations; patients; psychotic; support groups