Vallentine et al (2010)

Question 1

What is the aim?

Answer 1

To investigate the usefulness of psychoeducation (teaching the patient and their family about their illness) in a high security forensic psychiatric hospital

Question 2

What type of interview was used?

Answer 2

Semi-structured

Question 3

What was carried out after the interview on their responses?

Answer 3

Content analysis

Question 4

What were the results of the study?

Answer 4

• No significant difference in number of violent incidents pre and post sessions
• Participants valued knowing and understanding their illness (‘helped understand my symptoms and how treatments work’)
• Increased confidence in dealing with their illness.

Question 5

What are the conclusions?

Answer 5

• Psychoeducation group was useful for the participant and suggested that knowledge gave them power
• Showed that semi-structured interviews were useful and their data could inform future practice

Question 6

What were 2 strengths?

Answer 6

• Longitudinal study large amount of data gathered over a long period of time & also shows changes over time which increases validity
• Semi structured interview allowed detailed knowledge to be gained, allowing ppt to fully explain their opinions which allows the research to be better able to reflect the participants.

Question 7

What are 2 limitations?

Answer 7

• Lacks generalisability as the 42 individuals have unique qualities so can’t be generalised to the target population of schizophrenia sufferers
• Subjective interpretations of qualitative data so reduces validity as different clinicians will interpret the opinions differently