Psychological Treatments - Family Therapy Flashcards

(7 cards)

1
Q

Aims + How It Works/Helps:

A
  • Takes place with families as well as the identified patient (one member of a dysfunctional family who expresses the family’s conflicts)
  • Aims to improve quality of communication and interaction between family members
  • Aims to reduce levels of EE, especially negative emotions like anger and guilt which create stress; important to reduce likelihood of relapse
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2
Q

Pharoah et al (2010)

A
  • Identified a range of strategies that family therapists use to try to improve the functioning of a family that has a member with schizophrenia
  • These strategies work by reducing levels of stress and EE, whilst increasing the chances of patients complying with medication – this combo of benefits tends to result in a reduced likelihood of relapse and re-admission to hospital
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3
Q

Pharoah’s et al (2010) - Strategies

A
  • Reducing the stress of caring for a relative with schizophrenia
  • Improving the ability of the family to anticipate and solve problems
  • Forming a therapeutic alliance whereby they all agree on the aims of therapy
  • Ensuring family members achieve a balance between caring for the individual and maintaining their own lives
  • Reduction of anger and guilt in family members
  • Improving families’ beliefs about and behaviour towards schizophrenia
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4
Q

Burbach et al (2018)

A
  • Proposed a model for working with families dealing with schizophrenia
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5
Q

Burbach et al (2018) - Model Of Practice

A
  • Phase 1 is sharing basic info + providing emotional and practical support
  • Phase 2 involves identifying resources including what different family members can (and cannot) offer
  • Phase 3 aims to encourage mutual understanding, creating a safe space for all family members to express their feelings
  • Phase 4 involves identifying unhelpful patterns of interaction
  • Phase 5 is about skills training such as learning stress management techniques
  • Phase 6 looks at relapse prevention planning
  • Phase 7 is maintenance for the future
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6
Q

Evaluation - Evidence for effectiveness

A
  • A review of studies by McFarlane (2016) concluded that family therapy was one of the most consistently effective treatments available for schizophrenia, especially with relapse rates being reduced by around 50-60%
  • McFarlane also concluded that using family therapy as mental health initially starts to decline is particularly promising
  • Clinical advice from NICE recommends family therapy for everyone with a diagnosis of schizophrenia
  • Family therapy is likely to be of benefit to people with both early and ‘full-blown’ schizophrenia
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7
Q

Evaluation - Benefits for all family members

A
  • A review of evidence by Lobban and Barrowclough (2016) concluded that these effects are important because families provide the bulk of care for people with schizophrenia
  • By strengthening the functioning of a whole family, family therapy lessens the negative impact of schizophrenia on other family members and strengthens the ability of the family to support the person with schizophrenia
  • Family therapy has wide benefits beyond the obvious positive impact on the identified patient
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