Development of Multi-Family Therapy for First Episode Psychosis in Singapore

This two-part paper examines a newly developed Multi-Family Therapy (MFT) for clients and their families in the Early Psychosis Intervention Programme (EPIP) in Singapore. The first part of the paper describes the activities, its theoretical underpinnings and the therapist's observations of the families' responses which are further illustrated by case vignettes. The second part of the paper evaluates the content, structure and effects of the MFT through feedback from the 17 families. Separate feedback was obtained from the EPIP team. The qualitative data was analysed using thematic analysis. The majority of the participants found 'Image of Psychosis' and 'Family Life River' activities most useful and reported that mutual learning and support were the key therapeutic factors. The EPIP professionals suggested ways to improve potential participants' understanding of MFT to help with recruitment. The preliminary results from the pilot programme support the use of MFT in the context of Singapore. Practitioner Points An activity-based and experiential MFT programme engages families to work in a creative and playful way. Active involvement of the multidisciplinary team in the MFT programme helps to secure their engagement and support for interventions. Adopting an expert stance and focusing on practical concerns, rather than taking a reflective approach, is crucial in working with Singaporean families when adapting a Western-based multi-family psychoeducation group.