title: Schizophrenia: group support for relatives.
abstract: This paper outlines the organization and evolution of educational-support groups for the families and friends of schizophrenic patients. The organization involved three phases of expanding services to this target population. Our findings are that: a) relatives experience stage-specific reactions to the fact of schizophrenia in the family; b) topic areas for discussion tend to be the same in different groups; c) as total attendance grows (larger groups), individual attendance rate drops; d) the groups tend to evolve into self-led committees; e) the maximum benefit from the groups, as reported by the participants, is the opportunity to share common, painful experiences. Future goals lie in the encouragement of relative-run community organizations for schizophrenia and the clarification of the role of families in the development and course of the illness.
mesh_terms: D001290:Attitude; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology