Department of Social Work, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong.
Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2013 Feb;59(1):28-39. doi: 10.1177/0020764011423171. Epub 2011 Oct 3.
Education and support for caregivers is lacking in Asia and the peer-led FamilyLink Education Programme (FLEP) is one of the few provisions to address this service gap. This study aims to evaluate quantitatively its efficacy in reducing subjective burdens and empowering the participants.
One hundred and nine caregiver participants in three Asian cities were successfully surveyed at pre-intervention, post-intervention and six-month intervals with a number of standard inventories. Mixed analysis of variance (ANOVA) procedures showed significant programme impact over time intervals for all sites, and subsequently an empowerment measurement model was tested.
FLEP was found effective in reducing worry and displeasure, significantly improving intra-psychic strain, depression and all empowerment measures. The measurement model had an acceptable good fit. Baseline difference showed no interference with the programme efficacy.
Apart from the initial support for FLEP, the current study also provides some hindsight on the empowerment practice in mental health for Asia, whose sociocultural political contexts are vastly different from that of the developed countries. It remains to be seen whether qualitative data or more stringent research design will yield consistent results and whether FLEP can also work in rural areas.
在亚洲，针对照顾者的教育和支持严重不足，而以同伴为基础的家庭联络教育计划（FLEP）是少数能够弥补这一服务缺口的措施之一。本研究旨在定量评估该计划在减轻照顾者主观负担和赋权方面的效果。
在三个亚洲城市，共有 109 名照顾者成功参与了这项研究，他们在干预前、干预后和六个月时接受了多项标准问卷的调查。混合方差分析（ANOVA）程序显示，所有地点在时间间隔内都有显著的项目影响，随后测试了一个赋权测量模型。
FLEP 被证明在减轻担忧和不满方面非常有效，显著改善了内在心理压力、抑郁和所有赋权措施。测量模型具有良好的拟合度。基线差异对项目效果没有干扰。
除了对 FLEP 的初步支持外，本研究还为亚洲心理健康领域的赋权实践提供了一些启示，亚洲的社会文化政治背景与发达国家大不相同。尚不清楚定性数据或更严格的研究设计是否会产生一致的结果，以及 FLEP 是否也能在农村地区发挥作用。
