Description du projet :
Background: Informal caregivers of patients play a major role in the support and maintenance of patients with severe psychiatric disorders. However, they are a neglected actor in the health care system. With the programme Ensemble, we propose early intervention for the informal caregivers of patients with severe mental disorders. We performed a pilot study for the Ensemble programme showing that it is easy to implement in a variety of environments and is well accepted by both caregivers and patients. Preliminary results indicated that participation in the Ensemble programme leads to significant improvement in the psychological health state and in optimism. To acknowledge these preliminary results and promote the use of such intervention, we aim to test the efficacy of such a programme on a large and significant scale. Aim: This randomized clinical trial (RCT) will compare the efficacy of using Ensemble to improve the psychological health state of informal caregivers and enable them to have an active role in their situation against treatment as usual (TAU). Methods: One hundred sixty informal caregivers of patients with psychiatric disorders will undergo one of two conditions (Ensemble or TAU) for six weeks. The study’s main hypothesis is that informal caregivers who have attended five one-hour sessions of Ensemble will show improvements in their psychological health global index measured on the Global Severity Index of Brief Inventory symptoms. Participants’ wellbeing will be evaluated over time based on their optimism level (measured by the Life Orientation Test- Revised), their quality of life (measured by the 36-item Medical Outcome Study Short-Form Health Survey) and their burden level (measured by the ZBI scale). The intervention will help with the ability to deal with the patient’s problems, consider informal caregivers’ needs and difficulties, identify and manage painful emotions related to the patient’s illness, utilize effectively all available social resources and become an active actor in the health system. The study will also monitor the sustainability of Ensemble’s potential benefits at a two-month follow-up. At the end of the programme, the experiences of the 20 participants with participation in the Ensemble programme will be evaluated qualitatively. Expected results and impact: This RCT will test the clinical efficacy and potential sustainability of the Ensemble programme. It will uncover the impact of supporting informal caregivers of patients with psychiatric disorders on the caregiver’s health state by measuring their quality of life, their involvement as an active player in the health system and on the patients’ recovery processes. The results of this study will thus provide critical information on how to provide an adapted and efficient support programme to caregivers.
Forschungsteam innerhalb von HES-SO:
Rexhaj Shyhrete
, Favrod Jérôme
, Coloni-Terrapon Claire
, Martinez Debora
, Monteiro Shadya
Durée du projet:
01.09.2019 - 31.08.2023
Statut: Abgeschlossen
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