NCT06865573

Youth Mental Health Recovery in the Family After Inpatient Stay

Reintegration, Coping, and Care of Families After Inpatient Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Treatment

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 70 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Vienna · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The goal of this longitudinal mixed-methods study is to investigate caregiver strain, family processes and health outcomes after youth psychiatric inpatient treatment. Caregivers of youth who received inpatient treatment for mental health problems will complete a survey at three timepoints (baseline, 3- and 6- month followup) reporting on youth outcomes, caregiver well-being, and family processes. Qualitative interviews on caregivers' challenges, needs, and resources around the return to home care are conducted with a subsample (target n = 10) of participants. The main research questions (RQs) are: RQ 1: Do family processes contribute to youth mental health outcomes after discharge from inpatient treatment? RQ 1a: What family-level risk factors predict youth readmission to inpatient treatment? RQ 1b: Do family processes predict youth mental health trajectories over time? RQ 2: Is there a reciprocal relationship between youth mental health problems and caregiver burden? RQ 2a: Do family processes mediate the association between caregiver burden and youth mental health problems? RQ 3: How do caregivers experience their children's return to home care? RQ 3a: What challenges and needs do caregivers report? RQ 3b: What types of follow-up services do families receive and/or have access to? RQ 3c: How do caregivers cope with ongoing difficulties in the post-discharge period?

Conditions

• Caregiver Burden
• Family Characteristics
• Parent-Child Interactions

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-05-01
• Primary completion: 2026-04-01
• Completion: 2026-04-01
• First posted: 2025-03-10
• Last updated: 2025-03-17