Authors (including presenting author) :
Yip KH(1), LO WY(1), Poon F(1), Yiu YM(1), Tsang TY(1)
Affiliation :
(1)Occupational Therapy Department, Kowloon Hospital, Hong Kong
Introduction :
Financial instability can be both a determinant and consequence of poor mental health. Impoverishment could lead to more life stress and emotional disturbance. On the other hand, mental illness could lead to deterioration of functioning to an extent that patients drift down to a lower socio-economic state. While managing one’s finances is a cornerstone of living fully in community throughout the recovery process, most patients with mental illness depend on social security and money being managed by significance others. They are deprived of the chance of mastering their own finance. Therefore, a pilot structured program of solution-focused financial therapy (SFFT) was set up for patient with mental illness in Kowloon Hospital Occupational Therapy Outpatient Department.
Objectives :
To assess if SFFT can help patient with mental illness to 1) Increase money reserved, 2) Develop better financial behavior, 3) Improve mental wellbeing and 4) improve goal attainment.
Methodology :
A single group interrupted time series design was adopted. Subjects without mental retardation were recruited in Kowloon Hospital Occupational Therapy Psychiatry Outpatient Department. Subjects would attend a weekly-based psycho-education group that lasted for 5 weeks. Each lessons incorporated goal attainment review, financial concepts education, financial skills remediation, generalization and homework. A biweekly individual solution focused coaching session that lasted for 2 months was in conjunction of the 5 weeks lessons. The Client-rated Money Mismanagement Questionnaire to assess money reserved and financial behavior, 2) Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (C-SWEMWBS) to assess mental wellbeing and 3) Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) to assess goal attainment were recorded.
Result & Outcome :
A total of 5 subjects were recruited in this group from September 2018 to December 2018. Patients had significantly more money reserved (Z=-2.032, p=0.042) and less impulsive buying (Z=-2.041, p=0.041) in past one month. All patients had subjectively reported that they took more responsibilities in managing their own money. The result of C-SWEMWBS (Z=-1.841, p=0.066) and self-perceived needs (Sub-item in COPM) in better money management (Z=-1.841, p=0.066) had almost reached statistical significance level. The present study demonstrated that SFFT could increase patient’s monthly money reserved for goal pursuit to live a meaningful life, in addition to being more responsible for own financial behavior. Further studies on improvement of symptomology with largest sample size should yield remarkable finding.
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