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Needs‐based cognitive‐behavioural family intervention for patients suffering from schizophrenia: 5‐year follow‐up of a randomized controlled effectiveness trial
Author(s) -
Sellwood W.,
Wittkowski A.,
Tarrier N.,
Barrowclough C.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2007.01097.x
Subject(s) - randomized controlled trial , intervention (counseling) , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , cognition , psychiatry , psychology , medicine , clinical psychology , physical therapy
Objective: To determine whether a 24‐week, needs‐based cognitive‐behaviourally oriented family intervention for patients suffering from schizophrenia led to improved relapse profiles over a 5‐year follow‐up period. Method: The case notes of 60 patients who had participated in a randomized, controlled effectiveness trial were examined to determine relapse rates over a 5‐year period. Results: Patients were less likely to relapse over the 5‐year follow‐up when they received the needs‐based family intervention, especially in relation to exacerbations of symptoms not requiring inpatient admissions: 86.7% of control participants relapsed compared with 53.3% ( P = 0.01). Survival analysis indicated that the relapse risk was 2.5 times higher for patients receiving routine care, compared with those receiving family intervention. A similar trend was observed for the final 4 years of follow‐up. Conclusion: The present study provides some tentative support for the long‐term effectiveness of family‐based interventions for the management of schizophrenia in general mental health services.