PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR SCHIZOPHRENIC-PATIENTS AND THEIR KEY RELATIVES OR CAREGIVERS - RESULTS OF A 2-YEAR FOLLOW-UP

Psychoeducational medication management training (PMT), cognitive psyc hotherapy (CP) and key-person counselling (KC) were carried out in var ious combinations in this randomized, controlled intervention study of schizophrenic out-patients (according to DSM-III-R). Special design c haracteristics of the study were a control group consisting of non-spe cifically treated patients and a 2-year follow-up after completion of treatment in order to evaluate medium-term effects. A total of 132 pat ients underwent a follow-up examination 2 years after completion of tr eatment and were evaluated with an intention-to-treat approach. In the second follow-up year, ail treatment groups had lower but not signifi cantly different relapse rates compared to the control group. The most intensive treatment (PMT+CP+KC) produces a clinically relevant reduct ion in rehospitalization rate (a 26% reduction compared to the control group). In comparison with the non-specifically treated control group , whose original effect decreased, at least a medium-term therapeutic effect was recorded in the treatment groups.