# Effects of Family‐Centered Empowerment Model vs. Traditional Model on Adherence and Perceived Social Support in Bariatric Surgery Patients: ‎A Randomized Clinical Controlled Trial

## TL;DR

This study compared two educational approaches for bariatric surgery patients and found that a family-centered model improved perceived social support, though it did not significantly affect self-management or adherence.

## Contribution

The study introduces a family-centered empowerment model and evaluates its impact on social support in bariatric surgery patients.

## Key findings

- The family-centered model significantly improved perceived social support compared to the traditional model.
- There was no significant difference in self-management behavior or general adherence between the two groups.
- The intervention enhanced family and friends' support perception in bariatric surgery patients.

## Abstract

Bariatric surgery is presently considered the optimal treatment option for reducing mortality and morbidity among individuals with obesity and educating and empowering patients and their families leads to better patient outcomes and increased participation in healthcare programs Thus, aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of two educational methods on adherence and perceived social support in bariatric surgery patients: the family‐centered empowerment model versus the traditional model.

This randomized controlled trial study was conducted on 30 bariatric surgery patients referred to one of the hospitals of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, and were randomly divided into two groups. A family‐centered intervention was performed for the intervention group (n = 15), and traditional model was provided to the control group (n = 15). A demographic questionnaire, the Bariatric Surgery Self‐Management Behaviors Questionnaire (BSSQ), the General Adherence Scale (GAS), and the Specific Adherence Scale (SAS), as well as the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support Questionnaire (MSPSS), were used to collect the data. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, version 21, with a significance level of 0.05.

The results of our study showed that there was no statistically significant difference in Self‐management behavior (p = 0.255), and General Adherence (p = 0.170), between the two groups after the intervention, but there was a significant difference in total Perceived Social Support (p = 0.015) and tow subscales; family (p = 0.006), and friends' support (p = 0.037) between the two groups after the intervention.

Family‐centered models provide an opportunity to empower family members to become active participants in the patient's health. The model could provide an opportunity for the patients to develop health their habits, such as physical activity, which would help to maintain their weight loss.

IRCT, IRCT20180523039802N3. Registered December 13, 2020.