FAMILY-CENTERED BRIEF SOLUTION-FOCUSED THERAPY WITH CHRONIC-SCHIZOPHRENIA - A PILOT-STUDY

The purpose of the study was to pilot a family centred brief solution- focused therapy model (BSFT) with families and clients diagnosed with schizophrenia. A control group of clients and their families received traditional outpatient therapy, while an experimental group of clients and their families were treated with a BSFT model. All participants w ere pre-tested and then post-tested with the Family Environment Scale after five therapy sessions over a ren week period. Significant differ ences between the groups were found on expressiveness, active-recreati onal orientation, moral-religious emphasis and family incongruence. Th e participation of families and clients with schizophrenia in family c entred brief solution-focused therapy produced encouraging results and demonstrated the need for expanded studies using BSFT with other chro nically mentally ill clients and their families.