Online and Blended Delivery of Multi-Group Family Intervention for Families Living with Parental Mental Illness: Qualitative Evaluation (Preprint)

BACKGROUND In the UK 1 in 4 children are exposed to parental mental illness, and families living with parental mental illness (PMI) are poorly provided for across social and mental health care settings. Whole-family interventions provide promising means to enhance families’ overall functioning, mental health, and wellbeing. OBJECTIVE We evaluated how families living with PMI experienced a modified version of the KidsTime intervention. In contrast to the original in-person programme, the intervention was modified to be delivered online and later in a blended approach throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS A qualitative research design was used, involving semi-structured interviews and focus groups with parents/carers, children and intervention facilitators. We collected and analysed data from 22 families and 6 facilitators. Thematic reflexive analysis was used to analyse the data. RESULTS The intervention was acceptable to families and facilitators. The blended delivery approach was considered to cater for a wider range of families wanting to take part. We generated seven themes that reflect participants experiences with the intervention: (1) delivery modes, online, in-person and blended; (2) intervention content, structure and format; (3) families’ beliefs, attitudes and feelings; (4) learning; (5) social connection; (6) support and positivity; (7) observed changes and perceived impact. CONCLUSIONS Based on participants feedback we provide insights into possible benefits and change mechanisms of the intervention. We also give suggestions for clinical practice and how the present intervention and its delivery can be improved. Future research should focus on: (1) co-design activities with families to help refine the intervention further and (2) confirming the intervention’s effectiveness in sufficiently powered trials.