Schizophrenia Daily News Blog

Family Intervention in Schizophrenia

Family intervention programs affect patients suffering from schizophrenia to varying degrees depending on several factors. Researchers in Spain used a controlled trial to better understand this phenomenon.

"Participants 'were assigned at random to either a Behavioral Family Intervention Group or a Relatives' Group,' they wrote in the journal Psychiatry Research. 'Patients in one catchment area, having suffered one psychotic relapse within the previous year and living with their families, were assessed by an independent evaluator at baseline and 12 months later.'

Taken together, the results of these assessments indicated that 'some clinical and family factors such as the duration of illness, number of hospital admissions and relatives' level of psychological distress can predict the differential outcome of either type of family intervention modality,' according to the report" (Biotech Week via NewsRX.com, 2005).

The study also concluded that those in the short-term illness group need more "intensive and personal" intervention, while those with a long term illness need support on a constant basis. Family support can often affect the improvement of a patient with schizophrenia.

Being supportive, calm, and understanding with your family member is the most helpful way to act towards one with schizophrenia.

To learn more about how to help someone with schizophrenia go to: http://www.schizophrenia.com/family.htm

The source of this article is Biotech Week via NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net.

This research study was originally published in Psychiatry Research (Do All People With Schizophrenia Receive the Same Benefit From Different Family Intervention Programs? Psychiatry Res, 2005;133(2-3):187-95).