The Family Talk Intervention in clinical practice when a parent with dependent children or a child is severely ill: An effectiveness-implementation study

When a family with dependent children is affected by life-threatening/life-limiting illness this affects the entire family. Despite this, there is little research evaluating support for the whole family.

This intervention study aims to evaluate a family-based intervention, the Family Talk Intervention (FTI), for families with dependent children affected by severe illness (when a parent or a child is severely ill).

The main goal of FTI are to increase family communication about illness-related subjects (e.g. prognosis, stress) and the families’ wellbeing. FTI is manual-based and involve 6 meetings with the family.

The study has an effectiveness-implementation hybrid design where the effects of FTI and the implementation process are examined.

FTI will be carried out in three contexts: in specialized palliative homecare, in cancer care, and in pediatrics, all in which a parent or child is severely ill.

A cluster randomized trial at 6 clinics in specialized palliative homecare will be performed (3 units=intervention, 3 units=control).

In parallel with this, FTI will be implemented at a university hospital, on their initiative, at the cancer care for adults and in pediatrics, with a pre-post design. Social workers at these clinics will be trained in FTI 2021/2022. From 2022/2023, FTI will be offered to families cared for at these care contexts.

The effects and the implementation process will be examined with surveys, interviews, and observations.