Family Therapy

Question 1

What is family therapy

Answer 1

Interventions aimed at families of someone with SZ and are given guidance on treatment and management of it. This reduces expressed emotion and stress.

Question 2

Why is reducing stress important?

Answer 2

To prevent relapse of schizophrenia as guilt, anger and anxiety creates stress.

Question 3

Why do families form therapeutic alliances?

Answer 3

They agree with therapy to improve the families beliefs about the behaviour towards schizophrenia and maintaining a balance of having their own life and caring for the individual.

Question 4

Pharoah et al procedure

Answer 4

Meta analysis, revised 53 studies from 2002-2010 to investigate the effectiveness of family therapy in Europe, Asia, North America by comparing standard care vs without/ alone.

Question 5

Pharoah et al findings:

Answer 5

Family care vs standard care:
- mental state: mixed results.
- compliance with medication with patients improved.
- social functioning: some improvement in general functioning, Family intervention didn’t have much of an effect.
- reduction in relapse and re admission to hospitals during treatment and in the 24 months after.

Question 6

AO3

Answer 6

• economic benefits and cost analysis.
• impact on family members.
• may not be effective for long term.
• effectiveness of reducing relapse

Question 7

Economic benefits of family therapy

Answer 7

Family therapy has economic benefits as it reduces financial burdens on the healthcare. There is less reliance on emergency services and institutional care.

Question 8

Impact on family members

Answer 8

Family therapy benefits the patient and improves wellbeing of the family. Enhances communication and reduces stress and tension. LOBBAN- 60% of family members reported a positive impact on their own well being.

Question 9

Not Long Term

Answer 9

GARETY- does not provide significantly better results compared to standard care. Both groups had low relapse rate suggesting other factors may affect to improved outcome. Challenges the assumption that family therapy is necessary if standard care is already effective.

Question 10

Effectiveness of family therapy

Answer 10

MCFARLENE- consistently effective treatment leading to 50-60% reduction in relapse rates.