Family therapy

• Family therapy


  Involves the whole family and aims to reduce expressed emotion
• Aims of family therapy

  - increase positive communication

  - increase tolerance levels and decrease criticism

  - reduce burden/stress of care

  - reduce feelings of guilt/responsibility
• Steps in family therapy

  The family is encouraged to talk openly and support each other, no details are kept confidential

  The family is given advice on how to care for the patient
• Pharoah et al


  Conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the effectiveness of family therapy

  - found that it increased compliance with medication and reduced risk of relapse/hospitalisation
• McFarlane et al


  Found that family therapy reduces symptoms and reduced relapse
• Challenges to effectiveness of family therapy

  Relies on all members of the family being involved and some people may be dishonest or not fully engage
• Positive evaluation of family therpy

  - allows the family to communicate on a patients' behalf as they may have more insight

  - has no side effects
• Social implications of family therapy

  - reduces relapse so less hospitalisation is needed

  - combination of drugs and therapy is better so costs more