BACKGROUND: Despite recent focus on developing family-inclusive services to meet the needs of young people with first-episode psychosis, the needs of their siblings are often overlooked. AIMS: This study explored the experiences and needs of siblings of young adults with first-episode psychosis receiving support from two Early Intervention in Psychosis Services in South-East England. METHODS: Thirty-one siblings aged 11-35 years, were given a semi-structured interview to gather their perspectives and accounts of their lived experiences. The resultant rich qualitative data was analysed using responsive-reader and framework methods. RESULTS: Six themes were identified: siblings' roles and involvement; emotions; impact on relationships; coping patterns; resilience; and siblings' service needs. CONCLUSION: All participants had been greatly affected by the onset of the psychosis in their brother or sister. Most siblings did not identify themselves as carers, although most played a significant part in their brother's or sister's life. Participants wanted dynamic, robust and accessible services, especially information and peer support to meet their needs.
BACKGROUND: Despite recent focus on developing family-inclusive services to meet the needs of young people with first-episode psychosis, the needs of their siblings are often overlooked. AIMS: This study explored the experiences and needs of siblings of young adults with first-episode psychosis receiving support from two Early Intervention in Psychosis Services in South-East England. METHODS: Thirty-one siblings aged 11-35 years, were given a semi-structured interview to gather their perspectives and accounts of their lived experiences. The resultant rich qualitative data was analysed using responsive-reader and framework methods. RESULTS: Six themes were identified: siblings' roles and involvement; emotions; impact on relationships; coping patterns; resilience; and siblings' service needs. CONCLUSION: All participants had been greatly affected by the onset of the psychosis in their brother or sister. Most siblings did not identify themselves as carers, although most played a significant part in their brother's or sister's life. Participants wanted dynamic, robust and accessible services, especially information and peer support to meet their needs.
Authors: Jacqueline Sin; Claire Henderson; Luke A Woodham; Aurora Sesé Hernández; Steve Gillard Journal: J Med Internet Res Date: 2019-08-06 Impact factor: 5.428