[A psycho-educational family group for reducing stress and preventing recurrence for families of schizophrenic patients. Catamnestic results of the Tübingen family project].

Providing information about the disease and the way of coping with it has a central position in therapeutic interventions with families. By giving basic knowledge about schizophrenia to relatives we developed the practical conception of the psychoeducative relatives' group (information-group), a structured program, which is oriented toward concrete problem-solving and supportive behavior to cope with stress in the family. The effects of this group were investigated on the knowledge and subjective distress of 35 relatives related to the course of schizophrenia in comparison to a communication group. The participants of the information-group retained their knowledge after 9 months and their distress was decreased significantly. The relapse rate was reduced to 25%. The subjective distress correlated up to .41 with relapse after 9 months. A survey of the patients showed 70% improvements of the symptoms, 75% felt themselves better accepted by relatives. With the development of the relatives' distress scale a suitable instrument to measure distress is available.