Family Therapy Flashcards
what does Family Therapy consist of
Family members educated about SZ and how to help relatives cope. They learn to support the patient through treatment and spot/discuss problems positively.
by how much does family therapy reduce relapse rates
Family therapy reduces chance of relapse by up to 50% (Garety et al., 2008)
It’s based on the finding that hostile/overly expressive families –> more relapses
hat does family therapy aim to improve
It aims to improve the quality of communication and interaction between family members and reduce the stress of living as a family and so reduce rehospitalisation.
Family therapy makes use of a number of strategies to improve the functioning of a family with a member suffering from schizophrenia: what are some of these
- Forming a therapeutic alliance with all family members.
- Reducing the stress of caring for a relative with schizophrenia and the emotional climate within the family.
- Helping family members achieve a balance between caring for the individual with schizophrenia and maintaining their own lives.
Why does pharoah et el emphasise the importance of these strategies
Pharoah et al. (2010) suggest that these strategies reduce stress and expressed emotion, whilst increasing the chances of patients complying with medication. This tends to result in a reduced likelihood of relapse and readmission to hospital.
key study:pharoah et el findings
mental state- some studies reported an improvement whilst others did not
social functioning - family intervention did not have much effect outside the home or in employment
compliance with medication- increase patients compliance with medication
reduction in relapse rate- reduction in relapse and readmission after 24 months
What this tells us about family therapy as a treatment for schizophrenia- pharoah et al
This suggests that family therapy significantly reduces rehospitalisation, and somewhat improves the quality of life for patients and their families, but the findings are inconsistent. Therefore, the evidence to support the effectiveness of family therapy as a treatment for schizophrenia is fairly weak.
Economic benefits/ethical considerations
Reductionism - other therapies not considered (CBT)
Family therapy has considerable economic benefits. It is associated with significant cost savings when offered to people with schizophrenia in addition to standard care. The extra cost of family therapy is offset by a reduction in costs of hospitalisation because of the lower relapse rates associated with family therapy. There is also evidence that family therapy reduces relapse rates for a significant period after completion of the intervention. This means that the cost savings would be even higher.
