S33. RELATIVES IN RESOURCE GROUP ASSERTIVE COMMUNITY TREATMENT (RACT): RELATIVES’ EXPERIENCES

BACKGROUND: Relatives often provide extensive support to their next of kin suffering from psychotic disorders. However, they often experience lack of support from psychiatric services. While cooperation with relatives is a central component in Resource Group Assertive Community Treatment (RACT), little is known about relatives’ experiences of RACT. The aim was to investigate relatives’ experiences of encountering psychiatric care with and without RACT, in relation to quality of life, family burden and family stigma. METHODS: A total of 139 relatives of individuals suffering from psychotic disorders in the Region Västra Götaland, Sweden filled out the self-report instruments Family Involvement and Alienation Questionnaire – Revised (FIAQ-R), the Burden Inventory for Relatives of Persons with Psychotic Disturbances, the Inventory of Stigmatizing Experiences (family version), and RAND-36. RESULTS: Participants included 79 relatives with experience of RACT and 60 without. In the total group 70% were women. Mean age was 63 years (SD 12.4). A majority came from Sweden (91%), had >12 years of education (61%) and did not live together with the patient (76%). A majority were parents, (70%). These demographic characteristics did not differ in those with and without RACT. We found that relatives who participated RACT experienced a more positive approach from the healthcare professionals compared to those without RACT (p=.001). Furthermore, relatives who participated in RACT felt to a lower extent that they were alienated from the provision of care than did other relatives (p=.005). Relatives who did not participate in resource group were significantly more afraid that their ill next of kin would hurt someone. The association remained after adjustment for experience of approach and feeling of alienation. No other differences in family burden variables were found. Findings regarding mental Quality of Life scores and experiences of family stigmatization were similar in those both with and without RACT. DISCUSSION: The results suggest that participating in RACT may contribute to a higher level of satisfaction for relatives in their encounter with healthcare professionals.