The Development of a Community-Based Caregiver Model for Psychiatric Patients with Substance Abuse in Ratchaburi Province

Abstract

The objectives of this study were: 1) to develop a community-based caregiving model and to identify the essential components of caregivers for psychiatric and substance use patients, and 2) to evaluate the effectiveness of the developed model in Ratchaburi Province. The sample group consisted of 80 community caregivers of psychiatric and substance use patients. The research instruments included the community-based caregiver model for psychiatric patients with substance abuse, which comprised caregiver training curriculum development, social support provision, and follow-up monitoring over 8 week period. Evaluation tools included questionnaires, interviews, and follow-up record forms. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and t-tests. The research findings were as follows:

1. The development and specification of components in the community caregiving model for psychiatric and substance use patients consisted of; emotional support, esteem support, informational support and instrumental support. The caregiver training curriculum included lectures, case study discussions, seminars, role-playing, and follow-up sessions conducted over an eight-week period.

2. The evaluation of the model’s effectiveness revealed that caregivers demonstrated a statistically significant increase in knowledge, motivation, and caregiving skills (p < .001).

 Therefore, caregiving for psychiatric and substance use patients should emphasize enhancing caregivers’ knowledge, motivation, and competencies, alongside providing adequate social support. Such an approach will enable caregivers to provide more effective and sustainable care for psychiatric and substance use patients in the community.