1. SMART Family and Friends: Feasibility and outcomes of a video-conference delivered intervention for families impacted by another's methamphetamine use.
- Author
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Rushton, Clare M., Kelly, Peter J., Thomas, Tamsin, Beck, Alison K., Townsend, Camilla, Baker, Amanda L., Manning, Victoria, Argent, Angela, Deane, Frank P., Hides, Leanne, Hitsman, Brian, Velleman, Richard, Velleman, Gill, and Larance, Briony
- Subjects
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FAMILIES & psychology , *FAMILY psychotherapy , *SUPPORT groups , *SUBSTANCE abuse , *METHAMPHETAMINE , *AUSTRALIANS , *SATISFACTION , *PSYCHOLOGICAL distress , *COMPULSIVE behavior , *PILOT projects , *INTERVIEWING , *TREATMENT effectiveness , *GROUP psychotherapy , *FAMILY relations , *DESCRIPTIVE statistics , *VIDEOCONFERENCING , *RESEARCH methodology , *QUALITY of life , *FAMILY support - Abstract
Families affected by another's substance use, including methamphetamine, experience harms to their mental and physical health. Yet, research has paid little attention to support and service needs of this population. This pilot study examines the feasibility and outcomes of SMART Family and Friends, a video-conference-delivered mutual-support group targeting families affected by another's methamphetamine use. Recruitment for this study occurred between March–October 2021 via the SMART Recovery Australia website. Participants were English-speaking Australian residents, ≥18 years, affected by another's methamphetamine use, interested in participating in a manualised eight-module group delivered via video-conferencing. Feasibility was evaluated by attendance rates, participant satisfaction, fidelity ratings, and semi-structured interviews. Measures of distress, quality of life, and family functioning assessed outcomes at baseline and one-month post-treatment conclusion. Forty-three participants commenced SMART Family and Friends groups. 84 % (n = 36) completed ≥4 modules, 67 % (n = 29) completed ≥6, and 42 % (n = 18) completed all 8 modules. Participant satisfaction (M = 4.32, SD = 0.66, out of 5) and facilitator fidelity (>94 % for all modules) were high. A within-group analysis, without comparison condition demonstrated significant improvements in psychological distress (d = 0.38), family impact (d = 0.64), family strain symptoms (d = 0.48), and total family burden (d = 0.69) post-treatment. Qualitative findings illustrated the benefits and challenges of the video-conference-delivered group, as well as recommendations for improvement. Results provide initial support for the feasibility and positive outcomes of the SMART Family and Friends program. These findings demonstrate the successful provision of a mutual-support group for affected families delivered via video-conferencing, and merit further sufficiently powered randomised-control-trials to evaluate efficacy. • Limited evidence-based treatments exist for families affected by methamphetamine. • Families report high satisfaction with the program and video-conference delivery. • The mutual-support component reduces feelings of isolation among families. • One-way design analyses show positive outcomes following SMART Family and Friends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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