Multi-family group treatment may help recovery in patients with SCIs

Researchers hope to determine from a 2- year randomized study funded by a grant from the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation if multi-family group treatment can help those who suffer a spinal cord injury.

The study will consist of a clinical trial to determine whether multi-family group treatment, which was originally developed to help those with schizophrenia, can help improve the quality of life for individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCIs) and their caregivers, according to a Washington State University (WSU) press release.

“We think the individualized, problem-solving approach of multi-family group treatment is going to be helpful overall, but especially so for those who are still new to having to cope with spinal cord injury,” Dennis Dyck, a WSU professor of psychology, stated in a university press release.

The clinical trial that is planned will include 32 people who suffered SCIs and were discharged from St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute within the past 3 years and their caregivers.

According to the press release, researchers will monitor two groups: a treatment group that receives multi-family group treatment and individualized training to help manage a spinal cord injury, and an active control group that only receives the training information in a lecture format.

Both groups will receive 6 months of treatment. They will be monitored by researchers, who will measure the participants’ physical and psychological health, quality of life and level of involvement in their treatment. In addition, researchers will measure the individuals’ quality of relationships with their caregivers and the caregivers’ burden. Results in both groups will be compared and Dyck and colleagues plan to evaluate outcomes for individuals discharged up to 18 months before the start of the study and compare them to individuals discharged 18 months to 36 months before the start of the study, based on the release.