Online Family Support and Education for Schizophrenia

This study evaluated the benefits of providing relatives of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia the opportunity to interact with each other using the Internet. It was hypothesized that patients whose relatives had access to the internet intervention would have reduced symptoms and greater community tenure, compared to their counterparts who did not have relative access to the internet education and support program. We also collected information on how frequently the relatives used the website and how well they liked its features.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Schizophrenia
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Customary care; Behavioral: Online Family Education

Detailed Description

Although psychoeducational programs for schizophrenia can reduce patient relapse rates and reduce family distress, participation rates are often low. This study evaluated an online model to provide the families of schizophrenia patients with knowledge of illness management to reduce family burden and increase perceived social support.

Relatives of patients with schizophrenia who received 12 months of customary care with access to the educational website for the first year were compared to matched group of relatives of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia who were receiving customary care and who consented to participate in a family education program. In the education condition, relatives were provided with private, secure access to the website, which features family-to-family chat capabilities, video lectures on the management of schizophrenia, written materials on important issues in schizophrenia management, professionally facilitated online discussions of the material, and additional resource links.

Relatives were assessed using 90-minute interviews at the beginning of the project and every 6 months for 12 months. The interviews were used to assess the family member's perception of the patient's symptoms, his or her knowledge of the illness, the illness's impact on the family member, and his or her perception of the website intervention.

Patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were also asked to complete interviews and assessments at the beginning of the project and every 6 months for 12 months. The assessments include questions about symptoms, medication compliance and side effects, hospitalizations, and social functioning.

The major hypotheses were that relative participation in the online program would be associated with lower symptoms rates and hospitalizations in the patients.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 42
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • California
    • Los Angeles, California, United States, 90073
      • VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 70 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria for Patients:

• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) research diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder
• Stable antipsychotic medication regimen for at least 1 month
• Willing to participate in in-person assessments

Inclusion Criteria for Relatives:

• At least 4 hours of weekly contact with patient
• Willing to participate in in-person assessments
• -Interested in a family education program for schizophrenia

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Patient customary care; 12 months of patient customary care	Behavioral: Customary care; Participants received care as usual.
Experimental: Online family education; 12 months of patient customary care and relative access to online education and support program	Behavioral: Customary care; Participants received care as usual.; Behavioral: Online Family Education; Families were provided with private, secure access to the website, which features family-to-family chat capabilities, video lectures on the management of schizophrenia, written materials on important issues in schizophrenia management, professionally facilitated online discussions of the material, and additional resource links.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Patient BPRS Total Score	Mean total of Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale Score ( BPRS; adapted in Ventura et al, 1993) rated through patient interview. Range is 1-7, with high scores indicating more psychopathology.	baseline, 6 month, 12 month
Patient Hospitalization	Yes/No classification of hospitalization using all sources of data collected in the year	12 months of study

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
BPRS Psychosis Subscale Score	Mean total of Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale psychosis subscale Score ( BPRS; adapted in Ventura et al, 1993) rated through patient interview. Range is 1-7, with high scores indicating more psychopathology.	baseline, 6 month, 12 month
Relative Anxiety on the BSI	Relative self-report on the anxiety subscale of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI; Derogatis, 1993). Range is 1-5, with high scores indicating more anxiety.	baseline, 6 months, 12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles
• Collaborators: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Shirley M Glynn, Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Glynn SM, Randolph ET, Garrick T, Lui A. A proof of concept trial of an online psychoeducational program for relatives of both veterans and civilians living with schizophrenia. Psychiatr Rehabil J. 2010 Spring;33(4):278-87. doi: 10.2975/33.4.2010.278.287.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: March 1, 2001
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 1, 2005
• Study Completion (Actual): November 1, 2006

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 19, 2002
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 20, 2002
• First Posted (Estimate): September 23, 2002

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): September 9, 2016
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 8, 2016
• Last Verified: September 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Schizophrenia; Family; Psychoeducation; Internet
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders; Schizophrenia
• Other Study ID Numbers: R21MH062135 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract); DSIR AT-SP