Carers of Long-Stay Patients’ Perspectives of Secure Forensic Care: An Exploratory Qualitative Study

Sampson, Stephanie; Foster, Sheena; Majid, Shazmin; Völlm, Birgit

doi:10.1080/14999013.2018.1552635

Cited by 8 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Looking at the results of this study, it is clear that family members desire better communication and collaboration with and between different care settings. They experience their relationship with mental healthcare professionals as disappointing, which is frequently described in other research studies [e.g., ( 9 , 15 , 16 , 47 )]. They feel frustrated, not being heard, not having a voice in the care trajectory of their relative and therefore not being accepted as a partner in care by mental healthcare professionals ( 35 , 50 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 84%

“…Moreover, family members want to be heard and consulted by mental healthcare professionals. Like mentioned in other research studies, family members are striving for clarity in confidentiality policies of care facilities and need more support from and engagement with mental healthcare professionals ( 47 ). Making this possible would help them in gaining information, to cope with the situation and in taking on their role in the social (re)integration of their relative.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

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Voices to be heard: Understanding family perspectives in forensic care trajectories

et al. 2022

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IntroductionDe-institutionalization of psychiatric care has greatly increased the role of family members in the recovery pathways of Persons labeled as Not Criminally Responsible (PNCR). However, the role of family members in supporting PNCR in forensic psychiatric care remains understudied. Scarce evidence indicates that PNCR have to deal with stigma and endure specific burdens (i.e., symptom-specific, financial, social, and emotional). Recovery-focused research showed that recovery in both persons with a severe mental illness and family members develop in parallel with each other and are characterized by similar helpful principles (e.g., hope and coping skills). As such, the recovery pathways of PNCR often goes hand in hand with the recovery pathway of their family members. During the family recovery process, family members often experience not being listened to or being empowered by professionals or not being involved in the decision-making process in the care trajectory of their relative. Therefore, the aim of this study is to capture how family members experience the care trajectories of their relatives, more specifically by looking at family recovery aspects and personal advocacy of family members.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 family members of PNCR from 14 families. A thematic analysis confirms that family members suffer from stigma and worry significantly about the future of their relative.ResultsRegarding the care trajectory of PNCR, family members experienced barriers in multiple domains while trying to support their relative: involvement in care and information sharing, visiting procedures, transitions between wards, and the psychiatric and judicial reporting by professionals. In addition, family members emphasized the importance of (social) support for themselves during the forensic psychiatric care trajectories and of a shared partnership.DiscussionThese findings tie in with procedural justice theory as a precondition for family support and family recovery within forensic psychiatric care.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 84%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Voices to be heard: Understanding family perspectives in forensic care trajectories

et al. 2022

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“…Caregivers were not sure whether it was more appropriate to describe the HCPs as prison guards, custodians or professionals with focus on quality of care for the service user (Sampson et al, 2019).…”

Section: Analytical Theme: Advocacy Becomes Necessarymentioning

confidence: 99%

Experiences of family caregivers in forensic mental health care—A qualitative evidence synthesis

Vestphal

Gildberg

Jørgensen

et al. 2023

Psychiatric Ment Health Nurs

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Accessible Summary What is known on the subject Internationally, research and policy agendas recommend that family caregivers of service users in mental health care be involved in care and treatment, to support the service user's recovery process. Family caregivers of service users in mental health care are often highly burdened. There is a lack of research‐based knowledge about the experiences of family caregivers of service users in forensic mental health care (FMHC) and their involvement in care and treatment. What this paper adds to existing knowledge This study indicates a persistent caregiver presence and/or caregiver advocacy in regard to care and treatment of the service user in FMHC. This study indicates that health care professionals (HCPs) might play a role in eliciting a persistent caregiver presence and/or caregiver advocacy. What are the implications for practice HCPs need to develop their collaborative skills and be more willing to listen to and understand caregivers' persistent presence and/or advocacy. HCPs need to be more skilled to understand caregivers' and families' living with the complexities of mental illness and offence. HCPs are encouraged to adjust the involvement of family caregivers in care and treatment to FMHC. Abstract IntroductionThere is a lack of research about experiences of family caregivers of service users in forensic mental health care (FMHC) and their involvement in care and treatment. Research shows that caregivers are burdened. Further knowledge is required, to provide a foundation for improving clinical practice. AimTo review research literature, to investigate existing knowledge about caregiver experiences and, secondly, caregivers' experiences of facilitators and barriers related to their involvement in care and treatment. MethodQualitative evidence synthesis undertaken in a thematic synthesis of thirteen peer‐reviewed studies. ResultsThe analysis identified three descriptive themes: violence against family; a great burden of responsibility; and difficult collaboration, together with an additional three analytical themes: bearing witness; persistent presence; and advocacy becomes necessary. DiscussionPersistent caregiver presence and/or caregiver advocacy may be elicited by health care professionals' (HCPs') exclusion of caregivers from care and treatment. Caregivers' feelings of guilt in relation to the service user's offence may play an additional role in persistent presence and advocacy and, therefore, in HCPs' exclusion of them. Implications for PracticeHCPs need to develop their collaboration with caregivers by their willingness to listen to caregivers to understand emotional complexities within families experiencing mental illness and offence.

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“…In England, families of forensic patients experienced frustration and a lack of trust in the system of care, the staff members and the information received. 11 Parents of forensic patients in Finland felt marginalised even though the patients relied heavily on them for support during re-entering the community. 12 Caregivers in a rural area in South Africa experienced stress when the SPs presented with non-compliance to treatment and behaviour problems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Inadequate social support contributes to institutionalisation and hinders SPs’ community re-integration. In order to meet caregivers’ needs, mental healthcare professionals need to understand their views and challenges, 11 , 12 as well as the family strengths that enable them to cope. 10 To the authors’ knowledge, no studies have been conducted in the study context on the challenges experienced by families of SPs who are on leave.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges experienced by South African families caring for state patients on leave of absence

Mothwa

Moagi

Wath

2020

South African Journal of Psychiatry

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Background: Families of state patients experience challenges related to the patient’s mental illness and history of criminal behaviour. Family members who act as guardians when patients are on leave of absence take responsibility for the patient’s basic needs, activities of daily living and treatment regimen. They need to safeguard the patient from potential self-harm and harming others. Few studies have explored the burden these family members experience.Aim: The aim of this study was to explore and describe the challenges experienced by families caring for mental state patients who are on leave of absence.Setting: An urban area in South Africa.Methods: A qualitative approach was applied to answer the research question, ‘what are the challenges experienced by families caring for mental state patients on leave of absence?’ A purposive sample of nine participants who were caring for state patients on leave of absence was selected. Individual in-depth interviews were used to collect data. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Ethical considerations and trustworthiness guided the study.Results: Three themes illustrate the challenges experienced by family members, namely, challenges related to state patient’s behaviour, emotional challenges and social challenges. A fourth theme focuses on the ways families used to cope with these challenges.Conclusion: Mental healthcare professionals may use the results of this study to design therapeutic interventions for family members of state patients who focus on empathetic understanding and the mobilisation of effective coping skills and social support.

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Carers of Long-Stay Patients’ Perspectives of Secure Forensic Care: An Exploratory Qualitative Study

Cited by 8 publications

References 33 publications

Voices to be heard: Understanding family perspectives in forensic care trajectories

Voices to be heard: Understanding family perspectives in forensic care trajectories

Experiences of family caregivers in forensic mental health care—A qualitative evidence synthesis

Challenges experienced by South African families caring for state patients on leave of absence

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