Psychosis, families, and open dialogue

Background: There is an increasing movement to develop our understanding of the experiences of family members and significant others providing care for a loved one during First Episode Psychosis (FEP). The literature indicates that caregivers play an important role in good outcomes for their loved one, but the experience of caregiving can be distressing. Synthesising the literature within this area could potentially illuminate a deeper understanding of the caregiving experience, which could in turn inform research and clinical practice. Method: the literature was systemically searched and chosen in line with the inclusion criteria from several databases. A total of seven qualitative articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Outcomes: five themes emerged from the thematic synthesis that may represent the overall experience of caregiving. Discussion: clinical and research implications discussed.