Staff training in cognitive-behavioral family intervention in mental illness, using the multiple-family group approach: A pilot study

This article describes a pilot project in which eight Community Mental Health Centre staff were trained in a cognitive-behavioral intervention for families of 37 mentally ill clients. After involvement in training, the staff demonstrated more regular inclusion of family members in routine clinical practice, and a trend towards an increase in relevant knowledge. After involvement in the program, the families experienced a decrease in burden (Family Burden Interview Schedule) even though the primary clients' functioning (Global Assessment of Functioning) did not change. The results are encouraging, indicating that it is possible to train staff in ordinary clinical settings in effective cognitive-behavioral family interventions. The findings need to be replicated in a controlled study with larger samples.