VIA Family – an integrated, specialized and family based intervention for children born to parents with severe mental illness
Poster C37, Wednesday, October%2010, 11:30%20am%20-%201:00%20pm, Essex%20Ballroom
Anne A. E. Thorup1,2, Ida Gjøde1,2, Anne Dorotee Müller1,2, Mette Signe Eigil1, Helle Busck2, Merete Bonne3; 1Child and Adolescent Mental Health Center, research unit, Capital Region of Denmark, 2Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Research Unit, Capital Region of Denmark, 3Municipality of Frederiksberg
Children born to parents with severe mental illness have an increased risk of developing a mental illness themselves. They have a higher frequency of neurocognitive, motor, emotional and behavioral problems already during childhood and are at same time at risk of growing up under adverse circumstances. An early, preventive strategy focusing on the whole family and the child’s specific needs is often suggested, but evidence is lacking. A randomized controlled study will be carried out in a selected area of Copenhagen. 100 families will be invited to participate and will be allocated to either VIA Family (intervention) or TAU (treatment as usual). At least one of the parents must have been diagnosed with a severe mental illness (schizophrenia spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder or recurrent major depression). Children must be between 6 and 12 years old. The intervention group will be assigned to a multicompetent team consisting of a child- and adolescent psychiatrist, a psychologist, a nurse with experience from adult psychiatry, a social worker from the municipality and a family counsellor or pedagogue from the municipality. The team will offer the family psycho education about the mental illness, parental training (Triple P) and a case manager who they can turn to in all kinds of matters. Intervention will last 18 months. Primary outcome measures are C-GAS (functioning) and CBCLscores (dimensional psychopathology). Secondary outcome measures will be days absent from school during the last 6 months, family functioning, and a quality of life measure for all family members.
Topic Area: Psychosocial Interventions