Benefits and limitations of professional-family interactions: the family perspective

Families of persons with severe mental illness often experience burden and stress related to the caregiving role. There is a paucity of research describing effective interventions for relieving this burden. This article reports the findings of a study that elicited families' perceptions of professional interventions. Two focus groups were conducted with relatives of persons with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Participants described their experiences of the illness, current concerns, and coping strategies. A major focus of the study was the families' evaluations of past and future interventions from health professionals. Content analysis of the data identified critical elements of supportive and nonsupportive behaviors from professionals. Recommendations for future interventions were identified.