PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC AND SOCIOTHERAPEUTIC AP PROACHES IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA

A critical review is given of modern psychotherapeutic and sociotherap eutic approaches used with children and adolescents with schizophrenic disorders. Therapeutic strategies are evaluated within the framework of emprical data on biological and psychosocial facets of schizophreni a. Major treatment goals are discussed that go beyond differences in p sychotherapeutic methodology, e.g. attainment of biographical continui ty, improvement of strategies for social interaction and conflict reso lution, stabilization of self-structures, mastery of age-dependent dev elopmental tasks and, finally, coordination of different therapeutic i nterventions. It is stressed that psychotherapy and sociotherapy are e qually important in the treatment of children and adolescents with sch izophrenia.