Therapeutic factors in a systemic multi-family group treatment for major depression: patients' and partners' perspectives

This study investigated helpful and disturbing factors in multi-family groups with hospitalized, depressed patients and their family members. Both patients and their partners reported the occurrence of different therapeutic factors such as the cohesion of the group, different observational processes, and guidance from the therapist. The frequency of the therapeutic factors seemed to increase for both the patients and their partners as the group sessions progressed and several differences in reported therapeutic factors were found between the patients and their partners. A number of therapeutic factors such as modelling and guidance from the therapist were found to be related with improvement of depressive symptoms of the patient. The results help to provide some insight into which processes are important in multi-family group therapy for depression.     

Family discussion group therapy for major depression: a brief systemic multi‐family group intervention for hospitalized patients and their family members

This paper describes a brief systemic multi‐family group intervention for hospitalized patients with major depression and their family members. The presented treatment integrates elements of systemic therapy, social constructionist and narrative concepts and the family systems‐illness model. It has further adapted a specific multi‐family group format combining marital group sessions and family group sessions. Similarities and differences with other family interventions for depression are discussed. The therapeutic foundations and goals, the organization, and the therapeutic process are explained. A number of clinical vignettes are presented to illustrate the treatment procedure. Although the first clinical impressions about the usefulness of the family discussion group intervention are promising, the efficacy of the treatment awaits the completion of a clinical trial that is currently underway.