Question: In adults with mental health and financial problems, how effective are interventions for financial problems, compared to any other or no intervention, in improving patient outcomes?

Answer:

Plain language summary

More research is needed into effective interventions for adults with mental health and financial problems. Limited research suggests that advisor-teller money manager therapy is effective in reducing drug abuse in adults with a psychiatric illness, although more trials in this area are needed.

Clinical and research implications

One moderate quality, small, single-centre RCT found that advisor-teller money manager therapy significantly reduced cocaine use and substance purchases in adults with a psychiatric illness and history of alcohol or cocaine abuse, compared with a minimal control intervention. As only one trial was found, there is a lack of evidence about interventions for financial problems in adults with mental health and financial problems and further research is needed. The trial reported that further research into the use of money manager therapy in cocaine users with severe psychiatric illnesses is also needed.

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