FAMILY CONNECTIONS, an intervention for family members of people with suicidal behavior

Suicidal behavior has a strong impact on the family environment, and many of its members usually ends up highly affected. It is surprising how few interventions are available to family members of people with suicidal behavior given the of the problem.

A research project is being carried out at the University of Valencia (“Retos de la Sociedad, Plan Estatal de Investigacion Científica” (RTI-2019) where the Family Connections intervention (FC) (Hoffman et. al, 2005) for family members of people with suicidal behavior is being tested in a randomized controlled trial. This project aims to: a) analyze the effectiveness of the Family Connections program for family members of patients with suicidal behavior b) to assess the effect it may have on patients c) to analyze the degree of acceptance and satisfaction with the intervention of family members. Preliminary results of a pilot study show improvements such as reduction of burden, worry, guilt and depressive anxiety symptomatology. Moreover, the degree of acceptance and satisfaction of family members with the program turned out to be very high. Regarding patients, suicidal behaviors, the number of self-injuries, visits to the emergency room and the number of verbal arguments decreased. These results show the usefulness of Family Connections for family members of people with suicide attempts. This is a vulnerable population which, so far, has few psychological interventions with empirical support, and none that also analyzes the effect of the intervention on the patients

            *At this moment, University of Valencia researchers are conducting online Family Connections groups for family members of people with suicidal behaviors. If you are interested or know people who might be, you can write to this address: estbilo@alumni.uv.es

More information at: https://neabpdspain.org/

National Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder Education