Self-help groups for families of persons with mental illness: Perceived benefits of helpfulness

Self-help groups have become important resources for families of persons wi th mental illness. The present study was an attempt to understand the facto rs perceived by group members as helpful using Yalom's factors in clarifyin g the dynamics of groups. Members (N = 202) of the Alliance for the Mentall y Ill of Pennsylvania (AMI of PA), an association of self-help groups for f amilies of the mentally ill, were recruited and responded to a self-adminis tered questionnaire. Hierarchical block multiple regression indicated that those AMI members who felt information provision and gaining support and se lf-understanding from the group process was helpful and were longer term pa rticipants in their group were more likely to perceive benefit from belongi ng to the group. The findings may provide the basis for evaluating and impr oving self-help group effectiveness and contribute to understanding process factors within a self-help group which members find beneficial. Implicatio ns for how these groups can attract and maintain members are discussed.