Family psychoeducation programs in schizophrenia

Fifteen family psychoeducation programs for schizophrenia, comprising exclusively education packages, were compared according to their contents, characteristics and administration procedures, and their effects on family members (cognitive, behavioural, subjective and organisational changes), and on the clinical status of patients. The purpose was to observe particular effects of this element in family intervention procedures. On the whole, results confirmed that psychoeducation, as a sole family therapy program for schizophrenia, is insufficient to improve the development of the disorder; however, it proves to be adequate to obtain information about the illness, to modify attitudes, and to achieve a therapeutic alliance, but it must be supplemented with some other coping and daily problem solving strategies.