Comparison of E-health vs. In-person Multi-Family Group (MFG)

Summary

As specified in the VA Uniform Services Handbook, Family Psycho-Education (FPE) treatment must be available to all Veterans with schizophrenia who could benefit, and their family members. This includes those receiving care at Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), and at Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Centers (PRRCs), whether provided on site, by referral, or by telemental health. However, less than 5% of VA medical centers offer FPE. Clearly, a major challenge is to devise ways to deliver mental health treatments and services to Veterans who need them in ways that meet their needs and preferences. The proposed project will compare the use of a website to deliver FPE to that of in-person delivered FPE. The findings could have profound implications for the VA's ability to improve the reach, use, appeal, and effectiveness of FPE for Veterans with schizophrenia, by using an e-health model that facilitates family involvement.

Conditions

• Schizophrenia
• Schizoaffective Disorder
• Schizophrenia and Related Disorders

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Web-based multi-family psychoeducational treatment

This intervention uses a website to provide multi-family psychoeducational treatment to Veterans and their family members or other supporters.

BEHAVIORAL

In-persons Multi-Family Group Psycho-Education treatment

This intervention will provide the VA's evidence-based MFG. This intervention is delivered to Veterans and their families or other supporters using an in-person format.

OTHER

Treatment as usual (TAU)

Treatment as Usual (TAU) is considered the usual care at the VA. Participants assigned to be in the Treatment as Usual arm will complete assessments at all data collection time points, (baseline, 6, 12, and 15 months.) These participants will not receive any study treatment but will continue to receive their treatment as usual through the VA.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• VA Office of Research and Development

  lead FED

Principal Investigators

• Armando J. Rotondi, PhD · VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System University Drive Division, Pittsburgh, PA

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

QUADRUPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

75 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2015-08-19

Primary Completion

2018-09-30

Completion

2018-09-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations