Interventions for families of individuals with schizophrenia - Maximising outcomes for their relatives

Recent best practice guidelines recommend the provision of psychosocial family interventions for families of adults with schizophrenia. This article delineates the various family interventions and the empirical base of these interventions. These interventions include psychoeducation, family education, family consultation, and family support and advocacy groups. Although the provision of these interventions incur additional costs, they also have the potential for financial savings as a result of decreasing mental health service utilisation and improving outcomes for both the families and their ill relatives. The article concludes with recommendations for providers and organisations to improve effective relationships with families of adults with schizophrenia, Providers and organisations need to understand the needs of families, become knowledgeable about interventions for families and direct families to appropriate resources if they are unable to provide the family intervention themselves.