Virtual care during the pandemic: Multi-family group sessions for Hong Kong Chinese families of adolescents with intellectual disabilities.

The suspension of social services in Hong Kong during the COVID-19 pandemic increased the caregiver strain for families of adolescent children with intellectual disabilities, possibly aggravating their family relationships. This article reports on an online Multi-Family Group (MFG) conducted during the pandemic for Hong Kong Chinese families of adolescents affected by mild-to-moderate intellectual disabilities. A thematic analysis of the experiences of the participating service users revealed three positive effects of the intervention model: improved family relationships, mutual helpful influences occurring among families, and a new understanding of family members with intellectual disabilities. The therapeutic group process used to promote family development is illustrated by a group vignette. The challenges and the practical considerations for conducting an MFG online are discussed.

Treatment efficacy of multiple family therapy in helping Chinese children of depressed parents in Hong Kong, China.

This article reports results of a study that assessed the efficacy of multiple family therapy (MFT) for helping children of depressed parent(s), using a quasi-randomized controlled trial design. In total, 76 children participated in the study, with 51 children were assigned to the experimental group (EG) and 25 to the comparison group (CG). The EG children and their parents completed the three-month MFT program, while the CG children and their parents attended two psychoeducational talks scheduled at the same time as the MFT. A group × Time repeated measure ANCOVA did not discern the intervention types having any effect on children's lives in the post-treatment phase or at the three-month follow-up. However, the MFT brought some promising positive changes in the EG children's perceived social support, both overall and that from the father and other family members at three-month follow-up; compared to the CG children, the EG children also attached more importance to the support from their mothers in the post-treatment phase and that from other family members at the three-month follow-up. The results implied the potential efficacy of the MFT in facilitating an increase in the overall social support of children of depressed parents and their positive interactions with both the healthy and the depressed parent and other family members. Owing to multiple statistical limitations, caution is required while interpreting the results. A larger sample and a more sophisticated research design were suggested for future studies examining the efficacy and therapeutic mechanism of the MFT.

En este artículo se informan los resultados de un estudio que evaluó la eficacia de la terapia familiar múltiple (TFM) para ayudar a hijos de padres deprimidos usando un diseño de ensayo controlado cuasialeatorizado. En total, participaron 76 niños en el estudio, con 51 niños asignados al grupo experimental y 25 al grupo comparativo. Los niños del grupo experimental y sus padres completaron el programa de TFM de tres meses, mientras que los niños del grupo comparativo y sus padres asistieron a dos charlas psicoeducativas programadas al mismo tiempo que la TFM. Un ANCOVA de medidas estandarizadas de grupo × tiempo no percibió que los tipos de intervención tuvieran ningún efecto en las vidas de los niños en la fase posterior al tratamiento ni tres meses después. Sin embargo, la TFM trajo algunos cambios positivos prometedores en el apoyo social percibido por los niños del grupo experimental, tanto en general como en el padre y otros familiares en el seguimiento de los tres meses. En comparación con los niños del grupo comparativo, los niños del grupo experimental también dieron más importancia al apoyo de sus madres en la fase posterior al tratamiento y al de otros familiares en el seguimiento de los tres meses. Los resultados indicaron la posible eficacia de la TFM a la hora de facilitar un aumento en el apoyo social general de los niños de padres deprimidos y sus interacciones positivas con el padre sano y el padre deprimido y otros familiares. Debido a las múltiples limitaciones estadísticas, es necesario interpretar los resultados con cuidado. Se sugirió una muestra más grande y un diseño de investigación más sofisticado para futuros estudios que analicen la eficacia y el mecanismo terapéutico de la TFM.