title: Feasibility and effectiveness of a combined individual and psychoeducational group intervention in psychiatric residential facilities: A controlled, non-randomized study.
abstract: This controlled, non-randomized study explored the feasibility of introducing a Combined Individual and Group Intervention (CIGI) for users with mental disorders in residential facilities, and tested whether users who received the CIGI had better functioning than users who received the Treatment-As-Usual (TAU), at two-year follow up. In the CIGI, a structured cognitivebehavioral approach called VADO (in English, Skills Assessment and Definition of Goals) was used to set specific goals with each user, while Falloon's psychoeducational treatment was applied with the users as a group. Thirty-one professionals attended a training course in CIGI, open to users' voluntary participation, and applied it for two years with all users living in 8 residential facilities of the Mental Health Department of Modena, Italy. In the same department, 5 other residential facilities providing TAU were used as controls. ANOVA for repeated measures showed a significant interaction effect between users' functioning at baseline and follow up assessments, and the intervention. In particular, change in global functioning was higher in the 55 CIGI users than in the 44 TAU users. These results suggest that CIGI can be successfully introduced in residential facilities and may be useful to improve functioning in users with severe mental disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Second University of Naples, Viale Ellittico 31, 81100 Caserta, Italy. Electronic address: lorenza.magliano@unina2.it.
authors.forename: Lorenza
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Magliano
authors.affiliation: "Gulliver" Social Cooperative, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Puviani
authors.affiliation: "Aliante" Social Cooperative, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rega
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Department of Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Marchesini
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Department of Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rossetti
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Department of Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Starace
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D000067250:Psychiatric Rehabilitation / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods*; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods*; D012112:Residential Facilities
keywords: Controlled study; Mental disorders; Psychoeducation; Psychosocial rehabilitation; Residential facilities; Staff training