[Group-based rehabilitative interventions in the Department of Mental Health of Viterbo, Italy].

Standard treatment provided by mental health services, mainly based on drug therapy and individual sessions, does not help patients to enhance their capacity to prevent and manage crises.

AIM: This paper aims at examining the effectiveness of four group-based rehabilitative interventions carried out in the Acute Psychiatric Inpatient Ward and in the Department of Mental Health of Viterbo, Italy.

METHODS: The effectiveness of the four group-based interventions on patients and their relatives was evaluated in both inpatient and outpatient settings in terms of clinical efficacy, disease awareness, quality of life, and ability to cope with stress. A set of specific assessment tools was used for the purpose.

RESULTS: Group-based interventions showed high level of effectiveness in improving patients' insight, clinical stability, quality of life and satisfaction in using the services, and in enhancing family members' ability to manage stress.

CONCLUSIONS: Group-based rehabilitative interventions enable mental health services to provide users with additional treatment options complementary to drug therapy, improving the quality of life of patients and their families in a recovery-oriented perspective.