Group Intervention for Parents of People With Psychotic and Substance Use Disorders: A Qualitative Evaluation of appropriateness

Family caregivers are important levers facilitating the recovery of persons with schizophrenia and substance use disorders (PLS-SUD). For the caregivers, this translates into needs for knowledge as well as for strategies to reduce their distress and to meet the complex demands of a long journey to recovery. Despite these striking findings, few studies have contributed to understanding these caregivers’ experiences and needs. The knowledge is fragmentary and derived mainly from a few quantitative descriptive studies and from experts’ opinions. This absence of programs targeting mainly caregivers of PLS-SUD, combined with the lack of understanding of their needs, led our team to develop the RECAPS (REcovery CArer and person living with Psychosis and Substance disorders) program. The objective of this qualitative evaluation study was to describe and understand the appropriateness of an intervention program designed for caregivers from the viewpoint of caregivers themselves (n=9), person they were accompanying (n-5) and other key actors involved (n=10). Thematic analysis of a focus group, 28 interviews transcriptions and of a logbook were performed. All participants identified several positive impacts of the treatment on the parents: normalization of their experience, knowledge/skills acquisition, and increased hope. The parents mentioned that the concept of comfortable distance was central for them. It allowed them to consider adapting the intensity and intimacy of their accompaniment to their personal state and that of their PLS-SUD. The parents, the therapists and PLS-SUD, underscored the fact that the knowledge acquired within the program helped the parents better understand their PLS-SUD’s situation, better orient their actions, and increase their feeling of efficacy. The PLS-SUD’s reported useful improvement in their relationship with their caregiver and a positive influence on their substance use. The results of this study indicate that a program specifically adapted to the needs of caregivers of PLS-SUD is appropriateness and feasible.