Support Group Program Research Articles

Early-Stage Memory Loss Support Groups: Outcomes from a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

This article describes results of a randomized controlled trial comparing a time-limited early-stage memory loss (ESML) support group program conducted by a local Alzheimer's Association chapter to a wait-list (WL) control condition. One hundred and forty-two dyads were randomized in blocks to ESML (n = 96) or WL (n = 46). Mean age of participants was 74.9 years, and mean Mini-Mental State Examination was 23.4. The primary outcome was participant's quality of life; secondary outcomes included mood, family communication, and perceived stress. On the intent-to-treat (ITT) pre-post analysis, significant differences were seen in participant quality of life (p < .001), depression (p < .01), and family communication (p < .05). Within the care partner groups, there was no significant difference between ESML and WL in the ITT analysis. A post hoc exploratory examination of changes that were associated with improved quality of life in ESML participants revealed significant reductions of depressive symptoms and behavior problems (p < .05), improved family communication (p < .05), self-efficacy (p < .01), Medical Outcomes Study short form (SF-36) role-emotional (p < .05), SF-36 social functioning (p < .05), and SF-36 mental health components (p < .01) in improvers. These results support the efficacy of ESML support groups for individuals with dementia.

Predicting Gains in Dementia Caregiving

Background: Caregiver gain is an important yet less-explored phenomenon. Being conceptually distinct from burden, factors associated with burden and gain can differ. This study aims to explore factors associated with the experience of gains in dementia caregiving. Method: Cross-sectional study involving caregivers recruited from a tertiary hospital dementia clinic and the local Alzheimer’s Association. Caregivers completed a questionnaire containing the following scales: gain in Alzheimer’s care Instrument (GAIN), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), Dementia Management Strategies Scale (DMSS), Revised Memory and Behavioral Problems Checklist (RMBPC) and Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). Demographic information for the person with dementia (PWD) and the caregiver was also recorded. Initial screening with univariate analyses (t tests, ANOVAs, Pearson’s correlations) was performed to identify significant (p < 0.05) variables, which were then entered into a multiple regression model to identify variables associated with gain. Result: The final sample comprised 334 caregivers with a mean age of 51.5 years (SD = 10.9, range = 22–85), the majority of whom where Chinese (94.6%) females (71%). Mean GAIN score was 30 (SD = 6.6, range = 7–40). Regression analysis identified 3 factors significantly associated with gains (adjusted R² 32.3%): mental well-being of the caregiver, use of active management as a caregiving strategy, and participation in caregiver educational and support group programmes. Conclusion: The results have important implications for caregiver interventions. Interventions should target maintaining mental well-being, encouraging participation in educational and support programmes, and teaching appropriate coping and dementia specific management strategies to derive good outcomes.

Development, implementation and evaluation of a new self‐help programme for mothers of haemophilic children in Korea: a pilot study

Developing an effective support group programme is necessary to help the mothers of haemophilic children to encourage their children to live healthily and independently through early management, as well as to reduce the mothers' depression and stress. Although the need is high, there is no self-help group programme for mothers in Korea yet.The purpose of this study was to develop, implement and evaluate a new self-help group programme for mothers of children with haemophilia. Pre-experimental design was used to evaluate the effect of a pilot group. Participants were 12 mothers of haemophilic children below 15 years old. Knowledge on haemophilia, self-efficacy, depression, rearing stress and quality of life were evaluated using questionnaires. A Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to compare pre- and post-test.Knowledge, self-efficacy and quality of life were significantly increased, while depression was statistically reduced after the programme. The rearing stress was also reduced, but the result was not statistically significant.The self-help programme for mothers of haemophilic children increased the mothers' knowledge of haemophilia, self-efficacy and quality of life, while decreasing their depression symptoms. It seems that the programme was effective, but additional experimental study is necessary to verify the effects of the programme.

Accessing Peers’ and Health Care Experts’ Wisdom: A Telephone Peer Support Program for Women with SCI Living in Rural and Remote Areas

The unique needs of women with a spinal cord injury are not well understood, resulting in inadequate services. The Telephone Peer Support Group Program provided seven women with SCI living in rural and remote areas in Ontario with access to peer support and experts’ knowledge. Participants were decision makers in all phases of the program. The phenomenological research method was used to capture the essence of their experiences. Two primary structures of experience emerged: emotional support and learning. Participants gave and received emotional, affirmational, and informational support, which resulted in different levels of reported change and transformation. The participatory approach contributed to participants’ satisfaction.

Preventive psychosocietal support groups: parents’ criteria for good quality

The aim of this study is to produce concepts to describe criteria for good quality of support groups for families with children. The research questions were, what is a good support group like according to parents' experiences and what are the criteria for the good quality from the perspective of families? The study sample consisted of 13 small groups. The study participants consisted of 63 mothers and 14 fathers, who accounted for 63% of the small group attendance. Data were collected in Finland through 13 group interviews. Qualitative content analysis of manifest and latent content was used as the method of analysis. Parents appreciated the availability of information, the ability of the parents to discuss matters, the activities, interaction and good group supervision. As the parental views of the characteristics of a good support group are concrete, they can be easily taken into account with implementing family-oriented support group programmes. The concepts of the present study can be used in the future to construct instruments to evaluate quality of support groups from the perspective of families. Further studies should pay more attention to the experiences of drop out families and families that are not satisfied with group services.

E-Health Program for Patients with Chronic Disease

The aim of this pilot study was to examine the feasibility and benefits of a computer Internet-based videoconferencing healthcare support program for community-dwelling older adults with chronic disease. Eighteen participants (n = 18) who met inclusion criteria were recruited from a community health clinic, provided informed signed consent, and were assigned in groups of six to an Internetbased support group program. Where needed, participants were supplied equipment (computers, Web cams, audio headsets) and trained to access an easy-to-use, password-protected Web site that uses videoconferencing to support group member-facilitator interactive communication. The aim of the intervention was to support group member bonding and sharing of challenges and strategies for managing a chronic disease. Following 10 weekly professionally facilitated sessions, the groups met weekly in a self-help mode for an additional 3 months. Participants were interviewed at 6-month follow-up. An interview guide was used to gain feedback on using the Internet to access a health service and to ask about the benefits of having participated in the videoconferencing support group program. At follow-up, participants responded positively to using technology to communicate with healthcare professionals and other group members. They also valued the information shared regarding self-care, and reported reduction in feelings of loneliness and isolation. Our Internet-based, videoconferencing intervention program can be viewed as a prototype for designing technology platforms for the delivery of professional healthcare services to home-based older adults with chronic disease.

Support and education groups for children of battered women.

The children of battered women have been called the forgotten victims of domestic violence. Indeed, few clinicians have published accounts of their work with these children. This article describes in detail a support and education group program for children of battered women. Five hundred and seventy-five children have participated in the program, with promising results on several measures of success. Language: en

The Role of Social Influence in the Prevention of Disordered Eating Among Girls

The prevalence of body dissatisfaction among young girls is remarkably high. Peer processes play an important role in shaping its development. The present study examined the role of peer influence in shaping girls' eating behaviours following participation in a peer support prevention program. A total of 206 girls (M age = 12.5, SD = .54) completed assessments of social pressure, body esteem, global self-esteem and restrictive dieting before and after their participation in a 12-week school-based peer support group program. Participation was associated with overall decreases in problem eating behaviours, but the program appeared most beneficial for those who experienced the highest levels of social pressure at admission to the program. Girls with higher body mass index tended to show a decrease in reports of pressure from peer modelling after participating in the intervention. Decreases in all forms of social pressure reported by girls following the program were associated with improvements in their body esteem.

Effectiveness of psychoeducation and mutual support group program for family caregivers of chinese people with schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is a disruptive and distressing illness, not only for the person affected but also for family members. Family intervention, particularly in a group format using a diverse range of modalities, is thought to effectively satisfy the informational needs of families and enhance their coping abilities when caring for a relative with schizophrenia, and thus reduce a patient’s relapse from illness. This study tested the hypothesis that participants in a family psychoeducation and mutual support group would demonstrate significant improvements in levels of patient and family functioning and shorter duration of re-hospitalization than families in routine care. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with a sample of 68 Chinese families of schizophrenia sufferers in Hong Kong, who were randomly assigned to either a family psychoeducation and support group (n = 34), or a routine care group (n = 34). The interventions were delivered at two psychiatric outpatient clinics over a nine-month period. Results of multivariate analyses of variance test indicated that the psychoeducation and support group reported greater improvements on family and patient functioning and shorter lengths of patient hospitalizations at the two post-tests (one month and one year after completion of the intervention), compared with the routine care group. The findings substantiate that within a Chinese context, psychoeducation and mutual support group intervention can effectively help families care for a mentally ill relative.

Mild cognitive impairment: coping with an uncertain label

The recently introduced diagnostic label of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) identifies patients with a cognitive decline that is more pronounced than is usual for a person's age and educational level but does not notably interfere with activities of daily living (ADL). The natural course of the syndrome is uncertain although MCI sufferers have a higher risk of developing dementia. To investigate how patients fulfilling MCI criteria experience and cope with their cognitive decline with the secondary aim to derive key themes for a prospective MCI support-group programme. The grounded theory approach. Analysis of guided interviews with eight MCI patients revealed four common themes. Changes related to cognitive abilities, mobility, affect, vitality and somatic complaints. Attributions were numerous and concerned aetiologies such as personality traits and overload of information. Consequences were all negative and concerned the patients themselves such as anxiety and loss of self-confidence, others such as feelings of irritation and anger towards others or activities like abandoning leisure activities. Patients applied emotion-oriented, problem-focused and avoidant coping strategies. MCI patients encounter stress-inducing practical, social and psychological difficulties. Based on the current preliminary findings, the key themes for an MCI support-group programme should include the provision of information about the syndrome's causes, course, concomitant symptoms, attributions, social consequences, and available treatments. The impact of receiving an MCI label warrants further investigation.

Immune response, depression and fatigue in relation to support intervention in mammary cancer patients

To study the effect of support intervention on immune function in breast cancer patients. Breast cancer patients from an ongoing prospective randomised quality-of -life study were chosen for assaying immune functions in relation to a support-group intervention program running on a residential basis. Twenty-one women received adjuvant-combined radio-chemotherapy (CT-RT) and 20 women radiotherapy (RT). Eleven CT-RT and ten RT patients were randomised to support-group intervention, the rest served as controls. Immune tests for NK cells and NK-cell cytotoxicity, as well as lymphocyte subpopulations and response to antigen were performed before intervention, 2, 6, and 12 months later, in parallel to controls and healthy volunteers (n = 11). Depression, anxiety and fatigue were evaluated by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) and the Norwegian Fatigue questionnaire. The density of NK cell receptors and in vitro quantitation of functional NK cytotoxicity against K562 cell line were evaluated. Four-colour flow cytometry was used to detect signal transduction molecules and cytokine expression. T-cell proliferate response to purified protein derivate (PPD) antigen was evaluated. No significant immune effect of support intervention could be found. The immune variables were severely disarranged compared to healthy volunteers but showed a statistically significant improvement over time. The majority of patients suffered from fatigue but had low scores for depression and anxiety. No effect on immune parameters could be detected from support intervention. The long-lasting immune suppression might override a putative effect of the intervention. Low depression scores may contribute to the absence of a detectable effect.

The Graniators support group program

Aboriginal grandmothers (grannies) in many communities throughout Australia are considered the backbone of the social structure. This is the case for the Murri Granies in a town in regional eastern Australia. Many of these women are also their grandchildren's primary caregivers and disciplinarians, and sometimes this role is detrimental to their own care and wellbeing. As a response to this stress, the local Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS), which includes a comprehensive primary health care facility, began promoting the program 'Relax to the Max' to the Grannies as part of the holistic care they offer. Since these humble beginnings some three years ago, the group has grown to become the Graniators support group. In addition to their initial work of supporting each other, the group extended their field of action to the entire community to address social issues, particularly those around youth and children. To complement and strengthen their initiative, the Graniators partnered with other organizations in the community including the police, the municipal council, the state government's department of housing, the local primary school and a special youth service group. The program's evaluation has proved to be extremely positive in providing others in the community a clear and positive formula for driving change at a grass roots level.

A social comparison theory analysis of group composition and efficacy of cancer support group programs

Group-based psychosocial programs provide an effective forum for improving mood and social support for cancer patients. Because some studies show more benefit for patients with initially high psychosocial distress, and little or no benefit for patients with initially low distress, support programs may better address patient needs by only including distressed patients. However, distressed patients may benefit particularly from the presence of nondistressed patients who model effective coping, an idea many researchers and extensions of social comparison theory support. We present a theoretical analysis, based on a social comparison perspective, of how group composition (heterogeneous group of distressed and nondistressed patients versus homogeneous group of distressed patients) may affect the efficacy of cancer support programs. We propose that a heterogeneous group allows distressed patients maximal opportunity for the various social comparison activities they are likely to prefer; a homogeneous group does not. Though the presence of nondistressed patients in a heterogeneous group potentially benefits distressed patients, the benefits for nondistressed patients are unclear. For nondistressed patients, heterogeneous groups may provide limited opportunities for preferred social comparison activity and may create the possibility for no benefit or even negative effects on quality of life. We also discuss ethical issues with enrolling nondistressed patients whose presence may help others, but whose likelihood of personal benefit is questionable.

Psychological benefits of a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet in obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome—A pilot study

This study compared the psychological effects of a low-protein high-carbohydrate (LPHC) diet and a high-protein low-carbohydrate (HPLC) diet in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Twenty-five overweight women with PCOS were matched for age, weight, and whether they were trying to conceive. They were randomly allocated to the LPHC or HPLC diet for 16 weeks. All participants attended a weekly exercise, group support and educational program. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale were administered at the beginning and end of the study. The HPLC diet was associated with significant reduction in depression and improvement in self-esteem. There was no change in any psychological measures for the LPHC group. There was no difference in weight loss between the groups. Due to enhanced feelings of well-being, it is possible that HPLC diets may be associated with better compliance and hence be more successful in the long term treatment of obesity.

A support group programme for relatives during the late palliative phase

This study describes an intervention where relatives were invited to take part in a support group programme during the late palliative phase of their family member. The purpose was to describe their experiences of the support group programme and the subsequent impact on their lives as relatives of a terminally ill person. Qualitative interviews were chosen as the data collection method. The analysis was inspired by the phenomenological method as described by Giorgi (1989). The relatives' experiences were categorised into six key constituents: confirmation; insight into the gravity of the illness; sense of belonging created by similar experiences; participation in the care system; being able to rest; and strength to provide support for the patient. These six constituents resulted in a sense of safety in relation to the patient, the illness, the nursing staff and the care unit. The study's findings show that interventions of this kind may be integral to the relatives' ability to handle their situation when caring for a terminally ill family member.

Providing Psychosocial Group Support for Young Women with Breast Cancer

This article describes our experience offering a collaborative, wellness-based group support program for young women with breast cancer. Goals were (1) to identify needs and priorities of young women with breast cancer; (2) to test the feasibility of a collaboration between an academic medical center, a regional cancer center, and a community-based agency; and (3) to positively influence participants' overall quality of life (QOL), emotional distress, and psychological well-being. The group intervention consisted of presentation of various topics, group discussion, and relaxation exercises. No significant changes on QOL or emotional measures were seen. Participants rated the session on symptom management as most useful and identified two areas for potential improvement (more homogeneity of participants, suggestions for additional topics).

15 Principles of Consumer-Oriented Audiologic/Aural Rehabilitation

15 Principles of Consumer-Oriented Audiologic/Aural Rehabilitation

The Effectiveness of a Telephone Support Program for Caregivers of Frail Older Adults

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a telephone support group program on spouses and adult child caregivers of frail older adults. The Telephone Support Group (TSG) model is a multicomponent group program offered in 12 weekly, 90-minute group sessions. It includes emotion-focused and problem-focused coping strategies, education, and support. We recruited for this study 36 spouses and 61 adult children and randomly assigned them to TSG or to usual services. We assessed the participants before and after the completion of TSG or usual services. The results indicated that, for adult child caregivers, TSG was more effective than usual services in reducing burden, depression, social support, and pressing problems, and increasing knowledge and use of community services. We found no significant differences for spouse caregivers. This is the first study to compare the effectiveness of TSG for adult child and spouse caregivers of frail older adults. TSG showed itself to be an effective means of delivering support to adult child caregivers of frail older adults but not to spouses. More research is needed about how to make TSG effective for spouse caregivers.

Development of structured support groups for HIV-positive women in South Africa

Women living with HIV in a stigmatising community need support to cope with their HIV status. In a process of action research, a structured support group programme was designed to meet the needs of women to cope with their diagnosis and interpersonal relationships. The emphasis was on identifying their needs and developing programme material to address those needs through group participation and interaction. The programme was pilot-tested at two sites located in two townships in Tshwane, South Africa. Feedback after each session made it possible to adjust the programme to the needs of the participants. In a formative evaluation, audio-taped sessions, process notes of facilitators, and experiences of the participants were used to identify therapeutic elements, the value of the groups and the problems in the implementation process. Women reported benefit from participation in the support groups. A 10-session structured programme to be used in support groups addressing the most important needs of HIV-positive women was developed.

A feasibility study to evaluate a group intervention for people with cancer experiencing fatigue following treatment

Objectives: To develop and evaluate a pilot multi disciplinary education and support group programme for patients with fatigue post cancer treatment. Design: Mixed method feasibility study. Intervention: Programme comprised face-to-face nursing assessment followed by 3 support and information giving workshops. Workshops delivered large group support and small group discussion with therapists of participants' choice. Therapists included a clinical psychologist, nurse, dietician, physiotherapist and occupational therapist. Participants: Six subjects with breast cancer. Main outcome measures: The Brief Fatigue Inventory, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ C30. Participants completed these prior to, immediately after, and six weeks following, the programme. They also completed a programme evaluation by telephone. Results: Preliminary results indicate the programme provided information, support and management strategies for fatigue specifically, and living with cancer generally. Patients appreciated the opportunity to share their experiences whilst at the same time gaining particular help and advice for their own specific problems and concerns. Whilst not reducing the level of fatigue there was some evidence that impact on function was lessened. Conclusions: Whilst the number of participants was small, findings from this study are sufficiently encouraging to warrant continuing this service development and its evaluation. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.