Effectiveness of a group psychosocial intervention (Group PSI) for co-morbid mental health and substance dependence (‘dual diagnosis’): An initial pilot outcomes evaluation of ‘Pillars of Recovery’
[This poster was first presented at the SSA Annual Symposium 2013].
Aims: There is a relative lack of evidence-based group psychosocial interventions (PSI) available to service users seeking support for comorbid mental health and substance dependence difficulties, or ‘dual diagnosis’. This study sought to evaluate the initial effectiveness of a new group PSI for dual diagnosis, ‘Pillars of Recovery’ to service users to achieve improvements to their mental health, general quality of life and wellbeing, social functioning and also reduce their substance dependency.
Design: This was the initial stage of a larger, mixed-methods outcomes evaluation incorporating immediate and long-term follow-up of service users.
Setting: These were dual diagnosis treatment services in Wales.
Participants: This study reports immediate quantitative psychosocial outcomes from a group of n = 42 dual diagnosis service users following a 12-week treatment period.
Intervention: The intervention was the group PSI Pillars of Recovery for dual diagnosis.
Measurements: This was a battery of standardised psychometric assessments of mental health, substance use and physical and psychological wellbeing.
Findings: These data indicated both statistical and clinical improvements in mental health, substance use and physical and psychological wellbeing one-week following the 12-week treatment period.
Conclusions: These initial findings would indicate that Pillars of Recovery is associated with improvements in mental health, general quality of life and wellbeing, social functioning and substance use following a 12-week treatment period. Longer-term follow-up data will soon be reported to examine whether such therapeutic effects are maintained. In addition, qualitative interviews with facilitators and service users are also being collected and analysed and will be published soon.
Co-Authors
Hogan, Lee, Elison, Sarah, Breaking Free Online; Davies, Glyn, Breaking Free Online; Ward, Jonathan, Breaking Free Online