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CLINICAL TRIAL article

Front. Psychiatry
Sec. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Rehabilitation
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1460151
This article is part of the Research Topic Navigating the Storm: Addressing Mental and Behavioral Health Challenges in Disadvantaged Children, Adolescents and Young Adults (CAYA) View all 4 articles

Mindfulness-Based Family Psychoeducation Intervention for Caregivers of Young Adults with First-Episode Psychosis: Results at 9-Month Follow-Up

Provisionally accepted
Jiwen Zhang Jiwen Zhang 1Herman Hay-ming Lo Herman Hay-ming Lo 1*Wing-Chung Ho Wing-Chung Ho 2Ngar-sze Lau Ngar-sze Lau 3Siu-man Ng Siu-man Ng 4Winnie W.S. Mak Winnie W.S. Mak 3Samuel Y. Wong Samuel Y. Wong 3Karen S.Y. Hung Karen S.Y. Hung 5Iris Yuen Shan Lai Iris Yuen Shan Lai 5Cola Siu Lin Lo Cola Siu Lin Lo 5Jessica O. Wong Jessica O. Wong 5Simon LUI Simon LUI 4Clara Man Wah Siu Clara Man Wah Siu 5Eric Wai Ching Yan Eric Wai Ching Yan 5Sunny Chan Sunny Chan 6Edmund Lin Edmund Lin 5Gloria Oi Chi Wong Gloria Oi Chi Wong 7Jonathan Wai Hung Mak Jonathan Wai Hung Mak 8Hillman Shiu Wah Tam Hillman Shiu Wah Tam 9Iris Huen Hung Tse Iris Huen Hung Tse 8
  • 1 Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR China
  • 2 City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR China
  • 3 The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong Region, China
  • 4 The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, SAR China
  • 5 Hospital Authority, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR China
  • 6 University of the West of England, Bristol, England, United Kingdom
  • 7 Lingnan University, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong, SAR China
  • 8 Hong Kong Family Welfare Society, Hong Kong, China
  • 9 Heartfelt Listening Counselling Space, Hong Kong, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Objectives: To investigate the effects of a mindfulness-based family psychoeducation (MBFPE) intervention on caregivers and the young adults with first-episode psychosis in mental health care.Methods: Sixty-five caregivers were randomly assigned to the MBFPE program (n = 33) or an ordinary family psychoeducation (FPE) program (n = 32). Eighteen young adults in recovery (YAIR) also participated in the study. All of the participants completed the assessments before participating in the intervention (T1), after the intervention (T2), and at 9-month follow-up (T3).Results: Intention-to-treat analyses were conducted. The caregivers reported a significant and large effect size on positive caregiving experiences based on a Time × Group analysis (g = 0.862, p = 0.006). Among the YAIR participants, between-group differences were significant in their perceptions of caregivers' expressed emotions, including large effect sizes of perceived criticism (g = 1.396, p = 0.049) and hostility (g = 1.444, p = 0.043). Caregiver demographics, including age, education level, socioeconomic status, and number of family members, were found to moderate the effect sizes of the variables studied.This study provides evidence of the effects of MBFPE programs on the outcomes of caregivers and the young adults with first-episode psychosis in their care. Specifically, the MBFPE program in this study played a greater role in promoting positive caregiving experiences and changing caregivers' expressed emotions, especially their expressed criticism of YAIR, compared with the regular FPE program. Therefore, the application of mindfulness training to promote family care and YAIR recovery should be encouraged.Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03688009.

    Keywords: mindfulness-based program, Caregivers, First-episode psychosis, positive caregiving experience, Expressed emotions

    Received: 05 Jul 2024; Accepted: 03 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Zhang, Lo, Ho, Lau, Ng, Mak, Wong, Hung, Lai, Lo, Wong, LUI, Siu, Yan, Chan, Lin, Wong, Mak, Tam and Tse. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Herman Hay-ming Lo, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR China

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