Online Family Support and Education for Schizophrenia

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Schizophrenia
• Interventions: Behavioral: Online Family Education; Behavioral: Customary care

• Registration Number: NCT00046085
• Lead Sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles

Brief Summary

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.

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 Timeline

• Study Start: 2001-03
• Study First Submitted: 2002-09-19
• Study First Submitted QC: 2002-09-20
• Study First Posted: 2002-09-23
• Primary Completion: 2005-12
• Study Completion: 2006-11
• Status Verified: 2016-09
• Last Update Submitted: 2016-09-08
• Last Update Posted: 2016-09-09

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 42

Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Online family education	Customary care	12 months of patient customary care and relative access to online education and support program
Patient customary care	Customary care	12 months of patient customary care
Online family education	Online Family Education	12 months of patient customary care and relative access to online education and support program

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Patient BPRS Total Score	baseline, 6 month, 12 month	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.
Patient Hospitalization	12 months of study	Yes/No classification of hospitalization using all sources of data collected in the year

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
BPRS Psychosis Subscale Score	baseline, 6 month, 12 month	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.
Relative Anxiety on the BSI	baseline, 6 months, 12 months	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.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System; 🇺🇸 Los Angeles, California, United States