Psychoeducational training for schizophrenic patients: background, procedure and empirical findings

• Published in: Patient education and counseling Vol. 29; no. 3; pp. 257 - 268
• Main Authors: Hornung, W.Peter, Kieserg, Angela, Feldmann, Reinhold, Buchkremer, Gerhard
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.12.1996
• Subjects: Adult; Antipsychotic Agents - therapeutic use; Female; Humans; Male; Medication management; Patient Compliance; Patient Education as Topic - organization & administration; Program Evaluation; Prospective Studies; Psychoeducational training; Psychotherapy, Group - organization & administration; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenia - drug therapy; Schizophrenia; Psychoeducational training; Medication management
• ISSN: 0738-3991; 1873-5134
• DOI: 10.1016/S0738-3991(96)00918-4

As neuroleptic therapy alone still fails to offer effective relapse prevention in schizophrenic patients, psychoeducational therapeutic approaches have been developed as an additional aid for patients and their families. This article details the central characteristics of these approaches. A psychoeducational group program for schizophrenic outpatients, the efficacy of which was investigated within the scope of a German controlled intervention study on 191 patients, is also presented. The article describes in detail the methods used and the therapeutic objectives, reporting on changes in the attitudes of patients to their medication. At the end of the training program, patients who had attended regularly showed significantly better medication compliance and were more reserved with respect to their medication self-management. After 1 year the positive effects had diminished. However, booster sessions or participation of the psychiatrist in charge as group therapist would have had longer lasting effects.