Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-vvkck Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-27T16:10:21.618Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Efficacy of a psychoeducational intervention in improving relatives’ knowledge about schizophrenia and reducing rehospitalisation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

E. Cassidy ,
S. Hill  and
E. O’Callaghan
E. Cassidy
Affiliation:
Dept of Adult Psychiatry, Hospitaller Order of St John of God, Dublin, Ireland
S. Hill
Affiliation:
Dept of Adult Psychiatry, Hospitaller Order of St John of God, Dublin, Ireland
E. O’Callaghan*
Affiliation:
Dept of Adult Psychiatry, Hospitaller Order of St John of God, Dublin, Ireland
*
*Correspondence and reprints: Cluain Mhuire Family Centre, Newtownpark Avenue, Blackrock, Co Dublin, Ireland.
Get access

Summary

We sought to establish if a brief psychoeducational intervention for relatives is effective in improving relatives’ knowledge about schizophrenia and reducing rehospitalization. We evaluated 101 relatives of 55 patients with schizophrenia before and after an 8-week psychoeducational group using a self-report method. We also conducted a matched case-control study of the effects on rehospitalisation for 28 of these patients. We calculated the number of hospital days for each index case and control in the 1 and 2 years before and after the intervention.

Relatives made significant gains in their knowledge about schizophrenia, particularly about medication. Patients whose relatives attended the group had significantly fewer days in hospital and days per admission compared to controls in the year after the programme but the effect waned in the second year after the intervention. Controls were almost four times more likely to be readmitted at 2 years than cases. Median time to readmission was significantly longer in cases compared to controls. We conclude that a psychoeducational group, which is valued by carers, is effective in increasing their knowledge about schizophrenia as well as reducing and forestalling the rehospitalization of their affected relatives. Such programmes deliver what carers frequently request in a cost-effective manner.

Keywords

admissionscarerscosteducationschizophrenia
Type
Original Articles
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 16 , Issue 8 , December 2001 , pp. 446 - 450
Copyright
Copyright © 2001 Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Angermeyer, MCMatschinger, H.Lay beliefs about schizophrenic disorder: the results of a population study. Acta Psychiatr Scand 382Suppl1994 39–45.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barrowclough, CTarrier, NWatts, SVaughn, CBamrah, JSFreeman, HL.Assessing the functional value of relatives' knowledge about schizophrenia: a preliminary report. Br J Psychiatry 1987; 151: 1–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Birchwood, MSmith, JCochrane, R.Specific and non-specific effects of educational intervention for families living with schizophrenia. A comparison of three methods. Br J Psychiatry 1992; 160: 806–14.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Buchanan, A.A two-year follow prospective study of treatment compliance in patients with schizophrenia. Psychol M 1992; 22: 787–97.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Falloon, IRBoyd, JLMcGill, CWRazani, JMoss, HBGilderman, AM.Family management in the prevention of exacerbations of schizophrenia: a controlled study. N Engl J M 1982; 306: 1437–40.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Garavan, JBrowne, SGervin, MLane, ALarkin, CO'Callaghan, E.Compliance with neuroleptic medication in outpatients with schizophrenia; relationship to subjective response to neuroleptics; attitudes to mediation and insight. Compr Psychiatry 1998; 39: 215–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Giron, MBeneyto, M.Relationship between family attitudes measured by the semantic differential and relapse in schizophrenia: a 2 year follow-up prospective study. Psychol M 1995; 25: 265–71.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hoenig, JHamilton, MW.The schizophrenic patient in the community and his effect on the household. Int J Soc Psychiatry 1966; 12: 165–76.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hogarty, GEGreenwald, DUlrich, RFKornblith, SJDiBarry, ALCooley, S. et al. Three-year trials of personal therapy among schizophrenic patients living with or independent of family, II: Effects on adjustment of patients. Am J Psychiatry 1997; 154: 1514–24.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hogman, GDe Vleessschauwer, R.The silent partners: the needs of the caring family of people with a severe mental illness. A European perspective. An overview of the EUFAMI survey into carers’ ne 1996.Google Scholar
Holden, DFLewine, RJ.How families evaluate mental health professionals, resources and effects of illness. Schizophr Bull 1982; 4: 626–33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jacobson, NSBaucon, DH.Design and assessment of non-specific control groups in behaviour modification research. Behav Therapy 1977; 8: 709–19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kamali, M. et al. The influence of insight and comorbid substance misuse on compliance with oral neuroleptics among patients with schizoprenia. Psychiatr Serv 1999. [submitted].Google Scholar
Kavanagh, DJ.Recent developments in expressed emotion and schizophrenia. Br J Psychiatry 1992; 160: 601–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leff, JBerkowitz, RShavit, NStrachan, AGlass, IVaughn, C.A trial of family therapy v. a relatives group for schizophrenia. Br J Psychiatry 1989; 154: 58–66.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leff, JKuipers, LBerkowitz, REberlein-Vries, RSturgeon, D.A controlled trial of social intervention in the families of schizophrenic patients. Br J Psychiatry 1982; 141: 121–34.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mari, JJStreiner, DL.An overview of family interventions and relapse on schizophrenia: meta-analysis of research findings. Psychol M 1994; 24: 565–78.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mueser, KTGingrich, SLRosenthal, CK.ucational Family Therapy for schizophrenia: a new model for clinical service and research. Schizophr Res 1994; 13: 99–107.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
National opinion survey on schizophrenia. Royal College of Psychiatrists-Irish Division; in press.Google Scholar
Scherrmann, TESeizer, HURutow, RVieten, C.A psycho-educational family group for reducing stress and preventing recurrence for families of schizophrenic patients. Catamnestic results of the Tubingen Family project. Psychiatr Prax 1992; 19: 66–71.Google ScholarPubMed
Smith, JVBirchwood, MJ.Specific and non-specific effects of educational intervention with families living with a schizophrenic relative. Br J Psychiatry 1987; 150: 645–52.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vaughn, CLeff, JP.The influence of family and social factors on the course of psychiatric illness. Br J Psychiatry 1976; 129: 125–37.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Winefield, HRHarvey, EJ.Needs of family caregivers in chronic schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull 1994; 20: 58–66.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
World Health Organization. The ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders: Clinical Descriptions and Diagnostic Guidelines. Geneva: WHO; 1992.Google Scholar
Zipple, ASpaniol, L.Current educational and supportive models of family intervention. Hatfield, ALefley, H, Eds.; Families of the mentally ill: coping and adaptation. New York: Guildford Press; 1987. 261–77.Google Scholar
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.