Abstract
Aim: Psychosis is one of the most debilitating mental health difficulties, both for an individual's life experiences and on health care systems. Research shows that those who experience psychosis have significantly poorer outcomes. Family therapy has a strong evidence base when working with those experiencing psychosis. However previous systematic reviews found that effective implementation of family therapy varies, and guidelines on what works best in family therapy is not uniform. This study reviews the qualitative literature for those who have taken part in family interventions to surmise their experiences.Methods: A systematic review using thematic synthesis was carried out. The PRISMA (Moher, Liberati, Tetzlaff, & Altman, 2009) and ENTREQ guidelines were followed (Tong, Flemming, McInnes, Oliver & Craig, 2012) in reporting the study.
Results: 125 studies were assessed for eligibility. Ten papers met criteria for inclusion and were included in the synthesis. Three themes were developed: Increased knowledge and understanding as sources of empowerment; Shifting towards collaboration and trust, and new ways of being as a system. The study found that participation was greatly valued for a variety of reasons, however, almost all wished it could have been offered earlier.
Conclusions: The results highlighted the relative merits of family interventions. However, there are still further clarifications to be made regarding timings of family interventions and there are difficulties with implementation with all involved. The implications for theory, future research and clinical practice are discussed.
| Date of Award | 20 Sept 2024 |
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| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisor | Elizabeth Marks (Supervisor) & Paul Chadwick (Supervisor) |