Family treatment and psychoeducative counseling of parents of juvenile schizophrenics

The rate of rehospitalisation of schizophrenic psychoses may attain 70% within 3 years, for juvenile schizophrenics up to 80%, Psychoeducative counseling for the reduction of High Expressed Emotions (HEE) of the relatives of the patients shall be able to reduce the rate of rehospitalisation below 20%. But ist seems, that HEE in relatives of young schizophrenics (ICD-9:295.x, DSM-III-R:295.xx) with short duration of illness is different from HEE in unselected samples of adult patients. Diagnostic, therapy and experiences in counseling 8 families with a schizophrenic child for a period of 3 years are described. HEE in relatives of young schizophrenics seems to be different to HEE in relatives of unselected samples. Finally changing and extension to the current forms of treatment for juvenile schizophrenics and there families will be discussed.