The objective of the PSY-AID study, carried out at Paris Cité University, is to better understand how loved ones adapt to the mental health problems of a member of their entourage, the vision they have of these difficulties but also of their consequences.
Relatives of people with psychiatric disorders are one of their main sources of support in the face of illness. This support is all the more important in times of crisis and in particular during hospitalization. However, little work has focused on the impact of this care on loved ones.
The objective of the PSY-AID study is therefore to explore the experiences of relatives of patients with a psychiatric disorder and in particular, to investigate the impact of hospitalization on their psychological adjustment.. More precisely, it is:
- to explore the factors involved in the psychological adaptation of patients’ relatives : age/gender; status of the relative (brother, mother, friend, etc.); type and duration of psychiatric disorder; level of patient autonomy;
- to determine the burden linked to hospitalization in the experiences of loved ones;
- to explore the role of hospitalization modalities in the psychological adaptation of loved ones : free or compulsory hospitalization; full-time or part-time; duration of hospitalization; reason for hospitalization…
This comparative study will be carried out with a minimum of 600 relatives of patients, aged 18 to 70, of whom a member of their entourage (aged at least 14 years) has been monitored by a mental health professional or hospitalized for psychiatric reasons over the last three years. Participants will anonymously complete an online questionnaire and will be invited to contact the research organizers to participate in an interview to share their experience.
The results will provide a better understanding of the difficulties encountered by loved ones of people with mental health problems but also their resources and the psychological processes involved in their adaptation to the illness. Ultimately, it is a question of offering avenues to health and medico-social professionals to better support patients’ loved ones.
Inclusions will take place until December 2026 and the first results will be published from September 2027.
Detailed information on the study: https://lpps.u-paris.fr/participer-aux-recherches-et-activites/appel-a-participation/
