Family and Patient Psychoeducation for Severe Mental Disorder in Iran: A Review

Abstract

Objective: There are evidence-based practices in the field of family and patient psychoeducation for patients suffering from severe mental disorders. However, given the variation in resources and cultural contexts, implementation of these services, especially in low- and middle-income countries is faced with challenges.

This study aimed to review articles on family and patient psychoeducation of severe mental disorders in Iran and to find the characteristics of the main components necessary for the implementation of such practices in clinical settings.

Method: All published studies on family and patient psychoeducation for severe mental disorders (schizophrenia, schizoaffective, and bipolar disorder) conducted in Iran were searched up to May 2018; and key features and findings of each study were extracted and presented.

Results: Forty-eight studies were included in this review, of which 27 were randomized controlled trials, and 20 were quasi-experimental. One study was an implementation and service development report. The main findings of these studies were a significant decrease in relapse rate and/or rehospitalization rate and a significant decrease of burden and distress of families.

Conclusion: Despite a wide diversity in approaches, this review showed that different psychosocial interventions in which psychoeducation is one of their core and main components have promising results, demonstrating the significance of this intervention in Iranian mental health research. In our opinion, based on evidence, even with limited resources, it is no longer acceptable to deprioritize some forms of psychoeducation for patients and their families in clinical settings.