Family therapy Flashcards
What is family therapy?
Based on the theory that there are poor relationships and communication between an individual with schizophrenia and their carers
E.g. hostile mother and passive father
10 sessions over 3-12 months
What is the aim of family therapy?
To provide support for carers to make family life less stressful hence reducing schizophrenia
How does family therapy work?
- Aimed at reducing levels of EE and stress in the family
- Therapist forms alliance with both patient and carer
- Together they work out ways for the family to solve problems
- Psychoeducation: Helping person and carers to understand and better able to deal with the illness
- Reducing anger and guilt in family members
- Helping families achieve balance between own needs and the schizophrenic’s needs
Also used along side drug therapy (drugs can help calm down symptoms so they engage in therapy)
What are the strengths of family therapy?
Support from evidence
- Reviewed evidence of effectiveness from 53 studies
- Found evidence that therapy helped reduce hospital admissions and improved quality of life
- Compliance increased
(No difference in ability to live independently)
High economic benefit
- Reduces the need for intensive medical and social care
- Lower cost for treatment
- Cost savings can be substantial
- Minimal cost to family
- Flexible timings
What is a limitation of family therapy?
Study found no difference in relapse rate between families that had family therapy and those who didn’t
Maybe modern families have greater understanding and empathy
Tend to have low EE
