This study analyzes the effect on levels of patient anxiety and depression of apartner joining a cardiac rehabilitation program support group, also taking intoaccount the sex of the patient. The study was undertaken using a two-groupcomparison design with pre-and post-test measures in non-equivalent groups. Thesample comprised patients in the cardiac rehabilitation program (CRP) at theRamón y Cajal Hospital, Madrid (Spain). Analysis of covariance(ANCOVA) showed direct effects of sex and partner participation in supportgroups on the anxiety trait. Similarly, interaction effects were observedbetween the sex variable and partner participation. These results indicate thepertinence of designing separate groups for patients and partners.

The growing population of seniors with disabilities experiences unmet support needs and loneliness. Although support deficiencies can be overcome by peers in support groups, most support groups are inaccessible to older adults with limited physical functioning. Accordingly, this project aimed to develop and test the impact of an accessible telephone support group intervention for seniors with disabilities. Six research questions guided the study. Four telephone support groups with five to six participants (n = 23) were created, each with a professional and a peer (senior) leader. The groups met once a week for 12 weeks. Qualitative analyses of the telephone transcripts and post-intervention interviews of participants and leaders revealed decreased support needs, diminished loneliness, and enhanced coping. Selection, training, and support of peer and professional leaders and member control of discussions were important ingredients of successful support groups.

Cet article fait un bilan critique des écrits relatifs à l'évaluation de groupes de soutien pour aidants naturels, une intervention de plus en plus répandue dans les organismes publics et communautaires. Après avoir situé le contexte des groupes de soutien, l'article décrit rapidement les types de groupe de soutien évalués, les types de recherches évaluatives, les principaux résultats et limites de ces évaluations. Il ressort que les études se sont principalement intéressées aux groupes de soutien de courte durée, visant à offrir de l'information et du soutien émotif, ainsi qu'à développer de nouvelles habiletés. Les évaluations cherchent principalement à mesurer les effets des groupes sur les conséquences du stress en utilisant des devis de type expérimental et des mesures standardisées. Très peu d'importance est accordée à l'évaluation d'implantation. La majorité des études conclut à l'absence d'effet. Trois pistes de recherche sont proposées soient: l'analyse de différents types de groupes de soutien, la multiplication des approches théoriques et disciplinaires accordant plus d'attention aux dynamiques de groupe et aux dimensions sociales et, enfin, le recours à un éventail plus large de méthodes.

This review of the literature on the subject of health-related self-help and support groups for older adults begins by defining these two small group helping arrangements, and proceeds with a discussion of the extent of their utilization by older adults, barriers to participation, and ways of tailoring the groups to the needs and circumstances of older adults. The process and outcomes of these groups are also reviewed, and recommendations are offered regarding future research directions and ways of optimizing both the appeal and impact of these two types of mutual aid groups.

This paper reports on a project aimed at creating support groups for caregivers of the frail elderly and assessing their impact on participants. The effect evaluation was based on a quasi-experimental design with repeated measures (n = 120). The results show that participation in support groups did not lower the caregivers' subjective burden, and indeed contributed to its increase. Conversely, such participation appears to have had a stabilizing effect on their level of depressive symptoms. Both these effects, reported at the end of the support group experience, persisted three months later. Various possible explanations of these contradictory results are discussed.

Objective: To assess the effect of specific psychoeducational sources – support group meetings, lectures and literature – on bipolar disorder patients' knowledge and attitude to their illness. Methods: Eighty bipolar disorder patients attending for a lithium blood test were asked to complete a questionnaire detailing their demographic characteristics, duration of illness, knowledge of manic-depressive illness and their attitude towards their illness and what exposure they had had to relevant support group meetings, lectures and literature on bipolar disorder. Results: The 43 group attenders had a statistically significant higher mean score on the illness and lithium knowledge and the attitude to illness sections of the questionnaire than the 30 patients who did nto attend groups (P<0.001). A multiple regression analysis indicated that, in addition to group attendances, only reading literature contributed significantly to illness knowledge and attitude. Age, sex, duration of illness and socio-economic status did not contribute significantly to these outcome variables. Conclusions: Bipolar disorder patients who attended support group meetings and availed of relevant literature knew more about their illness and lithium therapy and expressed more positive and realistic views about their illness than those who only read literature and attended lectures.