Qualitative Evaluation of the Implementation of Group Psychoeducation for Bipolar Disorder in Clinical Settings in Quebec
Objectives Bipolar disorder is a chronic condition which significantly impacts the functioning and quality of life of patients with the disorder. Recognized efficacious psychological interventions, such as group psychoeducation, can help better address some of the limitations observed when pharmacotherapy is used alone in the management of bipolar disorder. However, access to these evidence-based interventions seems to be limited for most patients. Indeed, the translation of knowledge acquired through research towards actual clinical settings poses a significant challenge. Assessing the implementation of these efficacious interventions in clinical practice is thus a priority. The objective of this study is to describe the implementation of a psychoeducative intervention, the Life Goals Program (LGP), for the treatment of bipolar disorder in community mental health settings in Quebec City. Methods The LGP was implemented in three different clinical settings located in Quebec City. Fifteen healthcare service providers chosen by their respective clinical site were trained to deliver the intervention. They delivered the treatment to 73 patients with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Healthcare service providers filled a log book after each group session, in order to assess whether they had properly delivered the content of the program. At the end of the study, they also participated in a group interview in order to get a better understanding of their experience delivering the intervention and their appreciation of the research process. Results Following qualitative content analysis, four main categories of factors that could influence the implementation of the intervention were identified: 1) healthcare service providers’ characteristics (academic training, clinical experience, personality, knowledge of the program, and dynamic between animators); 2) participants’ characteristics; 3) organizational context (physical and material environment, staff stability, administrative management and research requirements); and 4) facilitation (perception of research, research team support, and facilitation tools). These categories derived from data analysis coincide with those observed in the literature. The following factors seemed to have had the most impact in the differences observed between sites in the implementation of the LGP: the support offered by the research team; staff stability; and the academic training of healthcare services providers. Conclusion Dissemination and implantation studies can not only help determine factors that are important to consider when implementing a program, but can also help improve and adapt these programs in order to increase acceptability and effectiveness in real world clinical settings.