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Families in Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Teams in Norway: A Cross-Sectional Study on Relatives’ Experiences of Involvement and Alienation

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Abstract

International research shows that relatives of people with mental illness are rarely involved by mental health services. Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) has been recently implemented in Norway. The experience of relatives of ACT users is largely unknown. The aim of this study was to explore relatives’ experience with ACT-teams in Norway. Data were collected using the family involvement and alienation questionnaire, consisting of experiences of approach, and alienation from the provision of professional care. 38 Relatives participated in this study. A majority experienced a positive approach (openness, confirmation, and cooperation) from the ACT teams, which also was considered better compared to previous services. They considered openness and cooperation as essential aspects from the professionals. Almost half did not feel alienated (powerlessness and social isolation). Higher level of being approached positively was significantly associated with lower level of feeling alienated. The knowledge of what constituted relatives’ positive experiences with the ACT teams should be transferred into practice regarding how to form a positive alliance with relatives.

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Notes

  1. The term approach: how the health professionals meet the relatives, in relatives’ experience.

  2. The term encounter: the relatives’ experiences with their contact with mental health professionals.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to thank the participants for their willingness to share their experiences. We also thank the Co-researchers representing Landsforeningen for Pårørende innen Psykisk helse (LPP)/The National Association of Families of Mental Health: Anita Olsen, Anna Margrethe Andersen, Ann Kirsti Brustad, Arnhild Litleré, Borghild Spiten Mathisen, Ellfrid Schei, Hanne Bjørn, and Åge Skaug. Their input and services were valuable to better understand an important group in mental health services, namely—relatives and family members. We also acknowledge the Norwegian Directorate of Health for the financial support to conduct this study.

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  1. Department of Research and Development, Mental Health Services, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway

    B. M. Weimand & P. Israel

  2. Department of Health Care Sciences, Ersta Sköndal University College, Stockholm, Sweden

    M. Ewertzon

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  1. B. M. Weimand
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Correspondence to B. M. Weimand.

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Weimand, B.M., Israel, P. & Ewertzon, M. Families in Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Teams in Norway: A Cross-Sectional Study on Relatives’ Experiences of Involvement and Alienation. Community Ment Health J 54, 686–697 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-017-0207-7

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