Project Summary

Mary O'Brien, Ph.D. (Young Investigator 2004) of University of California, Los Angeles, proposes studying the feasibility and acceptability of multiple-family group therapeutic strategies with a group of individuals who have early symptoms of psychoses and their families. Randomized clinical trials have demonstrated symptom reduction among patients and improved family well-being in a variety of patient groups with psycho-educational multi-family (PMFG) interventions. Group interventions were more effective than intervention administered to families one at a time. Dr. O’Brien hypothesizes that participation in PMFGs will be associated with increases in knowledge regarding illness, problem solving abilities, social support and family warmth, and with decreases in internalized stigma and family criticism. These factors also will be associated with reductions in adolescents' symptoms, increases in functional outcome, and reductions in caregiver burden. This work will provide the justification in terms of feasibility and improvements in symptoms and functioning associated with PMFGs to propose a randomized, controlled trial of PMFG versus single-family treatment, which Dr. O’Brien intends to pursue in subsequent proposals to NIH. Testing innovative treatments for this at-risk population will contribute to our understanding of factors that may forestall or prevent the onset of psychosis.

Program Area: SCHIZOPHRENIA/PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS\Schizophrenia

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