Evaluation of family therapy as a treatment for
schizophrenia
Pharoah: Reviewed family therapy. Moderate evidence suggests it lowered readmission
Hogarty: Compared relapse rates of 103 patients with schizophrenia living in high EE households. They
compared those who receive family intervention to those who receive medication. Relapse rates were
25% in those who received family intervention versus 62% in those who received medication.
S Anderson et al (1991): Compared relapse rates of patients who used drugs to patients who had family
intervention. Found relapse rate was 40% when only using drugs, 20% when using family therapy, and
5% when combining both treatments together.
Lobban (2013): Found that family therapy helped other family members to cope better
P N/A
Deception in studies: Pharoah et al found that many studies claimed to use random allocation when
they didn’t. Means that studies could be exaggerating effects of family therapy, which can put more
strain on the NHS if it isn’t as effective as it claims (requires two therapists, home visits and a minimum
I of ten sessions).
Links to humanistic approach: Shows that developing a good support system and self-esteem, allows a
patient to achieve self-growth (links to love and belonging and safety needs).
A
Lobban et al: Found that patients could sometimes become stressed by the therapy
C
✔ Cost effective: Reduces strain on NHS
✘Deception in studies: Pharoah et al found that many studies claimed to use random allocation when
they didn’t.
E ✘No double blinding in studies: Means there may have been researcher bias in the studies.
✘ May not always be appropriate if family is not dysfunctional
- Freewill: Shows family members can change
- Nurture: Focuses on current behaviour of family members and patient, and on correcting past
behaviour
D - Reductionist: Only focuses on family
schizophrenia
Pharoah: Reviewed family therapy. Moderate evidence suggests it lowered readmission
Hogarty: Compared relapse rates of 103 patients with schizophrenia living in high EE households. They
compared those who receive family intervention to those who receive medication. Relapse rates were
25% in those who received family intervention versus 62% in those who received medication.
S Anderson et al (1991): Compared relapse rates of patients who used drugs to patients who had family
intervention. Found relapse rate was 40% when only using drugs, 20% when using family therapy, and
5% when combining both treatments together.
Lobban (2013): Found that family therapy helped other family members to cope better
P N/A
Deception in studies: Pharoah et al found that many studies claimed to use random allocation when
they didn’t. Means that studies could be exaggerating effects of family therapy, which can put more
strain on the NHS if it isn’t as effective as it claims (requires two therapists, home visits and a minimum
I of ten sessions).
Links to humanistic approach: Shows that developing a good support system and self-esteem, allows a
patient to achieve self-growth (links to love and belonging and safety needs).
A
Lobban et al: Found that patients could sometimes become stressed by the therapy
C
✔ Cost effective: Reduces strain on NHS
✘Deception in studies: Pharoah et al found that many studies claimed to use random allocation when
they didn’t.
E ✘No double blinding in studies: Means there may have been researcher bias in the studies.
✘ May not always be appropriate if family is not dysfunctional
- Freewill: Shows family members can change
- Nurture: Focuses on current behaviour of family members and patient, and on correcting past
behaviour
D - Reductionist: Only focuses on family
