Patient psychoeducation: the therapeutic use of knowledge for the mentally ill.

Psychoeducation has been used successfully with families of patients with psychiatric illness for over the past two decades. Modifying this model for use with mentally ill patients has demonstrated to both patients and staff the positive impact that knowledge can have on patients' functioning and attitudes. The model described has three objectives: (1) to impart information about psychiatric illness, medication and treatment regimens as a way of increasing patients' understanding, (2) to provide a forum which facilitates the integration of this information through group discussions with other patients and (3) to teach and model some specific management skills for patients as they deal with their illnesses.