Psychoeducation for Patients and Relatives: A Basic Psychotherapeutic Treatment in Schizophrenic Psychoses

Psychoeducation for patients and relatives - performed as a psychoeducational family intervention or bifocal as groups for patients and family members - is an effective treatment for schizophrenia in the short as well as in the long run. Relapse rates are reduced, illness-related knowledge, compliance, psychosocial functioning, and also quality of life are improved. From the patients' point of view, an increase in competence, the therapeutic alliance, and the communication with other afflicted persons are important therapeutic determinants of psychoeducational groups. Relatives experience emotional relief although the objective burden remains. New developments in research and practice refer to additional psychoeducational modules, to adaptations of established programmes for specific target groups, to new psychoeducation-oriented forms of transferring information, like peer-to-peer groups, videos, or internet-based interventions, as well as to new outcome criteria. Despite great scientific endeavor and sufficient evidence, the availability of psychoeducational groups for patients and relatives is currently not guaranteed in inpatient, outpatient, or complementary psychiatric settings. This article may incite implementation of psychoeducation for patients and their families in the treatment of schizophrenia.