Effectiveness of psychoeducational intervention for rural Chinese families experiencing schizophrenia--a randomised controlled trial.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to explore the characteristics and efficacy of psychoeducational family intervention for persons with schizophrenia in rural China.


METHODS
A cluster randomised controlled trial of psychoeducational family intervention for families experiencing schizophrenia (three groups, 326 cases) was conducted in Xinjin County, Chengdu. Treatment groups consisted of family intervention and medication, medication alone, and a control.


RESULTS
The results showed a gain in knowledge, a change in the relatives' caring attitudes towards the patients, and an increase in treatment compliance in the psychoeducational family intervention group (p < 0.05, 0.001). Most importantly, the relapse rate over 9 months in this group (16.3 %) was half that of the drug-only group (37.8 %), and just over one-quarter of that of the control group (61.5 %) (p < 0.05). Antipsychotic drug treatment and families' attitudes towards patients after the 9-month follow-up were significantly associated with clinical outcome (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
In rural China, family intervention should focus on improving the relatives' recognition of illness, the caring attitude towards the patients, treatment compliance, relapse prevention, and the training of the patients' social functioning. This trial, one of the largest in the literature, has shown that psychoeducational family intervention is effective and suitable for psychiatric rehabilitation in Chinese rural communities.
Ran
Mao-Sheng
MS
Institute of Mental Health, West China Hospital, West China University of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China. ranmaosh@yahoo.com
Xiang
Meng-Ze
MZ
Chan
Cecilia Lai-Wan
CL
Leff
Julian
J
Simpson
Peggy
P
Huang
Ming-Sheng
MS
Shan
You-He
YH
Li
Si-Gan
SG
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D002681:China; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012424:Rural Population; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents