family therapy

• What is one cause of high relapse rates in schizophrenic patients?

  High levels of expressed emotion
• What is the focus of family therapy for schizophrenia?

  • Centered on the family unit
  • Offered to individuals in contact with family
  • Aims to reduce expressed emotion
• Who recommends family therapy for individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia?

  NICE
• How many sessions of family therapy are usually offered?

  At least 10 sessions
• What is the duration of family therapy sessions?

  Around 3-12 months
• What strategies are employed in family therapy?

  • Reduce anger and guilt in family members
  • Improve positive and decrease negative communication
  • Manage expectations for caregivers
  • Enhance understanding of schizophrenia
• Why is it important for families to understand schizophrenia?

  It helps improve beliefs and behaviors
• What is emphasized in family therapy regarding confidentiality?

  No details remain confidential
• What is encouraged during family therapy sessions?

  Open discussion about symptoms and behavior
• What is the goal of reducing expressed emotion in family therapy?

  To lower relapse rates
• What did Pharoah et al (2010) review in their study?

  53 studies on family therapy effectiveness
• What did Pharoah et al (2010) find about family therapy?

  Increased medication compliance and reduced relapse
• What were the findings on patients' mental state in Pharoah et al (2010)?

  Mixed results compared to drug treatments
• What does Lobban (2013) suggest about family therapy's impact on relatives?

  60% reported significant positive impacts
• Why is family support important for patients with schizophrenia?

  It helps reduce relapse rates
• What are the economic benefits of family therapy?

  • Decreases relapse rates
  • Lowers need for hospitalization
  • Educates family on medication management
  • Cost-effective compared to standard care
• How much cheaper is family therapy compared to standard care over three years?

  £1,004 per patient
• What methodological issues did Pharoah et al (2010) find in the studies reviewed?

  Concerns about random allocation and blinding
• What did Wu et al (2006) find about research in China?

  Many studies claimed random allocation but didn't
• What was noted about blinding in the studies reviewed by Pharoah et al (2010)?


  Ten studies reported no blinding at all
• What is the implication of the methodological issues found in the studies?

  The supporting research may not be valid