Collaboration between social workers and the families of the mentally ill

This study examined collaboration between families of the mentally ill and inpatient psychiatric social workers. The study assessed: the degree to which families and social workers collaborate, factors which influence the degree of collaboration achieved, and the effects of collaboration on aspects of clinical outcome. Collaboration was conceptualized as the degree to which families and professionals worked together and concurred that they engaged in a reciprocal transaction. The sample was comprised of 102 family members of patients and their social workers, who were surveyed around the time of the patient\u27s discharge from the inpatient unit. Findings revealed a relatively high degree of collaboration and indicated that its strongest predictor was the social worker\u27s attitude toward family involvement in the patient\u27s treatment. In addition, higher levels of collaboration were significantly correlated with increased family involvement in discharge planning and satisfaction with social work services