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Objective: This study explored the views of 241 patients with schizophrenia about their own disorder. Methods: Patients' knowledge of their diagnosis, confidence that they will be well again, and perception of limitations in their own life as a result of the disorder were explored in relation to patients' opinions about the social consequences of schizophrenia. Study results were presented to participants, and suggestions were collected regarding how these study results should be used. Results: Seventy-two respondents (30%) reported that a psychiatrist told them that they have schizophrenia. Respondents who were confident that they would be well again had a lower duration of contact with psychiatric services and a less pronounced perception of affective and social difficulties related to schizophrenia. Respondents who did not feel limited in their life by the disorder reported less social distance and more optimism about the usefulness of treatments. Conclusions: Participatory studies may provide ideas for a more constructive interaction between patients and professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: This study explored the feasibility of providing psychoeducational interventions for persons with schizophrenia and their families. METHODS: The study was carried out in 23 Italian mental health centers. Two professionals from each center attended three monthly training sessions on psychoeducational interventions. After the training, each professional provided informative sessions on schizophrenia to five families of service users with schizophrenia, which consisted of three meetings with each family on clinical aspects of schizophrenia, drug treatments, and detection of early signs of relapse. Each professional then provided the intervention to families for six months. RESULTS: Thirty-eight of the 46 participants completed the training course, and 34 provided the intervention to 71 families. Twenty-nine of the 34 provided the entire intervention to the families and five of the 34 held only informative sessions on schizophrenia. Ninety-one percent of the participants who completed the study reported difficulties in integrating the intervention with their other work responsibilities, and 96 percent acknowledged the positive effect that the intervention had on the center's relationship with patients with schizophrenia and their families. CONCLUSIONS: These results support the idea that it is possible to introduce psychoeducational interventions in mental health services after a relatively brief period of training and supervision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: (a) To explore burden related to caregiving and support received from professionals and social network in relatives of patients with schizophrenia in Northern, Central and Southern Italy; and (b) to test whether a higher level of family burden is associated with a lower level of professional and social network support. Method: Seven hundred and nine patients with schizophrenia and their key-relatives were consecutively recruited in 30 Italian mental health departments. Data were collected on: (a) patients' clinical status and levels of disability; (b) relatives' burden, social and professional support; (c) interventions received by patients and their families. Results: Family burden was found lower in Northern Italy. However, after controlling for psychosocial interventions, differences in family burden among the three geographical areas disappeared. Family burden was associated with patients' levels of disability and manic/hostility symptoms, and with professional and social network support received by the family. Conclusion: Professional and social network support represent crucial resources to reduce family burden in schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To date, only few data are available on how family burden in schizophrenia changes over time. In addition, no study has explored how such factors as coping styles and social support influence burden over time. This paper presents the 1-year follow-up data from the BIOMED I study on family burden and coping strategies in schizophrenia.Methods: A sample of 159 relatives of patients with schizophrenia living in five European countries was followed up prospectively for 1 year with regard to burden and coping strategies, using validated questionnaires.Results: In the sample as a whole, the burden was stable. A reduction of family burden over time was found among relatives who adopted less emotion-focused coping strategies and received more practical support from their social network. In addition, family burden decreased in relation to the improvement of patient's social functioning.Conclusions: When relatives of patients with schizophrenia are able to improve their coping strategies, it is possible for burden to be reduced even after several years. This points to the necessity to provide families of chronic psychotic patients with psychoeducational interventions emphasising the adoption of an effective coping style. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]