Support for Recovery in Mental Health: A Delphi Study From the Family's Perspective.
Estefania Guerrero, Maite Barrios, Hernán María Sampietro and 3 others
PMID 40826508WHAT IT FOUND
Family caregivers of mental health service users identified presence, psychological support, communication and guidance as ways to support recovery.
They also identified accessible services and caregiver training as key.
Key findings
01After Round 3, consensus was achieved on 112 statements: 47 supportive actions, 42 facilitators and 23 obstacles to support.
02Supportive actions included user-directed support, environmental support and caregivers' personal supportive skills and attitudes.
03Facilitators and obstacles clustered around information, services and professionals; societal and legislative factors; personal supportive skills and attitudes; and user-related factors.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was mostly European, mostly male and mostly members of family associations, so it may not reflect all family caregivers. Recruitment was online through family association websites, which may exclude caregivers with limited digital access or resources. The sample was small, and 20 participants dropped out between the first and third rounds. Fewer than half of proposed obstacle statements reached consensus; barriers may vary by context. The study reports agreement on statements, not measured recovery outcomes or tested interventions.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. Funding came from the Spanish Ministry of Universities, the Agency for the Management of University and Research Grants of the Government of Catalonia, and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that family support improves mental health recovery. The study reports consensus statements from family caregivers, not patient outcomes or tested interventions.