Dr. Katherine Boydell, Co-Principal Investigator, A Longitudinal Evaluation of Family Initiatives in Community Mental Health in Ontario

Dr. Katherine Boydell is leading a project to examine the family member's role in the mental health system – both on a personal level and an organizational level. The team took a unique approach to their study by training and employing family members to be research assistants. Initially the recruitment process was difficult due to family member skepticism. Family members were frustrated that they had been interviewed by other teams so often and yet never saw the results of their work. The team have made knowledge transfer and family inclusion priorities in the study. They are currently involved with developing ideas about how to distribute information effectively to family members.

Dr. Boydell says the involvement of family members as research assistants has been very positive, not only for the study but for the members themselves – helping Katherine's team make sure they are gathering information that will be useful. Often family members give suggestions on how to improve questions, what questions would be more helpful, and what questions they feel are unnecessary. They have a few family members who are over the age of 65 and are excited about the contribution they are making at this stage in their lives.

Dr. Boydell's history with mental health research is extensive. She has covered adult, youth and presently, children’s mental health. Her recent work at the Hospital for Sick Children makes her aware of the need for support groups for parents of young children with mental illness. She says that while the adult system has developed a strong support network, it is lacking in the children’s system. We wish Dr. Boydell and her team continued success!

For more information about this study, see the project description.

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