The Therapeutic Relationship Between the Case Manager and the Person With Severe Mental Health Disorder

Mental Health Disorder Clinical Trial

Official title: The Therapeutic Relationship Between the Mental Health Case Manager and the Person With Severe Mental Health Disorder: a Mixed-methods Study

Status Recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

The first mental health case management programs appear progressively in Spain from the trend towards community mental health with the aim of caring for people with severe mental health disorders outside from hospitals, accompanying them in their recovery process. The mental health nurse case manager is an example of advanced practice in in terms of assistance to the most seriously ill in the community mental health network.

The use of the therapeutic relationship as the central axis of care for the person is becomes an essential tool for patient recovery. This study aims, through participatory action, to inquire about the relationship therapy and its effect on the person's recovery. There will be a mixed methods research. First, a participatory intervention with nurses through the recording of four focus groups with the aim of understand, plan, change and maintain the practices surrounding the relationship therapy with their patients. Second, this intervention will be measured by administering scales to patients linked to the mental health case management program that provides service to different areas of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area. The variables to measure will be the quality of the therapeutic relationship, the recovery of the person and the overall functionality. These variables will be measured before and after finishing the participatory intervention. All data will be anonymized, transcribed and analyzed using the software correspondent.

Clinical Trial Description

Two circular spirals following Kemmis & Mctaggart Participative Action Research (PAR) principles will be conducted. Each spiral includes the following stages: planning, action, observation and reflection.

Initially ( stage 0), the principal investigator will conduct an analysis of the current situation by observing, recording and analyzing the situation. The field diary will be used as a tool to assist in the data collection. Afterwards, a baseline measurement of the selected variables will be made by the principal investigator to both patients and participating professionals.

The first PAR cycle begins in January 2023: agreement and planning about how the observation of the therapeutic relationship will be carried out (focus group), the subsequent action-observation, which will be collected using a reflective diary, and the reflection in the discussion group based on the contributions of the reflective diaries, which will be contrasted with the available evidence with the aim of creating a dialogue.

The estimated duration of the first cycle is 2 months. The second cycle of PRA starts in March 2023: it begins with a focus group to discuss a new planning of strategies to implement changes. After a new period of action and self-observation of the changes (through reflective diary), the fourth and last group discussion group is held, with the purpose of sharing and evaluating the whole process. The estimated duration of this second cycle is 2 months.

At the end of the second cycle (May 2023), a follow-up measurement (post-test) will be carried out by the principal investigator. The estimated duration for this process is 1 month.

Note: the PAR process will be conducted only with case managers. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Case Management
• Mental Disorders
• Mental Health Disorder
• Psychiatric Nursing

• NCT number: NCT05774106
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Fundació Sant Joan de Déu
• Contact: Marti SUBIAS MIQUEL, Phd candidate
• Phone: +34 697221753
• Email: marti.subias@sjd.es
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: January 16, 2023
• Completion date: December 31, 2023