Effectiveness of Family Group Interventions for People With Schizophrenia

Family interventions in schizophrenia have shown positive effects on patients but little attention has been paid to their effects on family members, particularly those in non-Western countries. This multi-site randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of a bi-weekly, 12-session, family-led mutual support group for Chinese caregivers of schizophrenia sufferers over 36 months, compared with a family psychoeducation group program and standard psychiatric care. It was conducted with 114 families of outpatients with schizophrenia in Hong Kong of whom 38 were assigned randomly to a mutual support group, a psychoeducation group, or standard care. Families' psychosocial health status and patients' symptom severity and length of re-hospitalizations at recruitment, one-month, 18-month, and 36-month post-intervention were compared between groups.