FTI – The Family Talk Intervention

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The Family Talk Intervention research program, evaluates a psychosocial support intervention which is adapted to families with dependent children, when a parent or a child has a severe illness. The intervention is evaluated in different clinical care contexts and includes both the evaluation of effects for the families and the implementation process in clinical practice. Research data is collected and evaluated under “real life” conditions, in the context of everyday clinical work, in order to create support which is adapted both to clinics and families.

Severe illness is a life-changing experience, not only for the ill family member but also for the entire family. If the family also includes dependent children, a particularly challenging situation is created. Earlier research has showed that the wellbeing of children is often associated with – and depending on – the function and wellbeing of caregivers and other family members. Insufficient family cohesion or difficulties to express feelings may provoke reactions of stress in children. Children who are patients or living close to someone who is ill report a lack of communication about illness and wellbeing which in turn increase the risk of poor mental health in the long-term.

FTI is a family-based intervention, with the purpose of promoting illness communication in the family (share thoughts of the prognosis, wellbeing, conflicts within the family, school problems etc.), increase illness related knowledge, support parents in their parenting and to identify the needs of the children. The purpose of the FTI is consistent with the challenges that families suffering severe illness often need support with.

Apart from studying the effects of the FTI on families, the project also aims to evaluate the implementation of the FTI in clinical practice within different contexts of care. The research is performed in close cooperation with the clinics. It is also possible to participate in this psychosocial support program with the help of an interpreter and the participation of children is also evaluated in this family intervention.

Do you work with families affected by severe somatic illness that involve dependent children? Are you interested to be educated and trained in FTI and use the method in your clinical work? We have developed a course in FTI based on our research past years.

The course is conducted as commissioned education and will start during the autumn of 2025. Sign up for the course here.

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Holm M, Lövgren M, Alvariza A, Eklund R, Kreicbergs U. Experiences of being aseverely ill parent of dependent children receiving care at home: Hopes and challenges. Palliat Support Care. 2023 Mar 29:1-5. doi: 10.1017/S1478951523000184. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36987845.

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Eklund R, Lövgren M, Alvariza A, Kreicbergs U, Udo C. Talking about death when a parent with dependent children dies of cancer: A pilot study of the Family Talk Intervention in palliative care. Death Stud. 2022;46(10):2384-2394. doi: 10.1080/07481187.2021.1947415. Epub 2021 Jul 2. PMID: 34214023.

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Eklund, R., Kreicbergs, U., Alvariza, A., Lövgren, M. The Family Talk Intervention in Palliative Care: A study Protocol. BMC Palliative Care, 2018, 17(35). doi: 10.1186/s12904-018-0290-8.

The FTI consists of 6–11 manual-based meetings, divided by 1-2 weeks between the meetings, in different constellations of family members. The psychosocial intervention is led by trained interventionists (often social workers). The FTI starts off with parents forming their thoughts around the illness and how it affects their family. The parents set goals for their family’s participation in the FTI (e.g. getting help to talk to the children about the forthcoming death or bring attention to neglected healthy siblings). Through the FTI, the family is helped to express things they find difficult to talk to each other about. The entire family, the persons they identify as their family, are gathered into a family meeting with focus on breaking the silence, with every voice being heard. Through dialogue, situations within the family that they consider problematic are illustrated. Experiences are shared between family members and the needs and experiences of the children are in focus.

In the present research program, the FTI training is led by medical social worker Anna Patzauer Personne, who has extensive experience in working with FTI within different clinical care contexts.

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Last updated:
24 April 2025