Educational Family Therapy for schizophrenia: a new treatment model for clinical service and research.

A new family therapy model for schizophrenia is described, Educational Family Therapy (EFT). This model employs didactic teaching methods and 'user friendly' educational handouts and is provided in a flexible, interactive manner. The results of pilot data show that the model is feasible and suggest family members improve in their understanding of the illness. Data are also presented demonstrating that EFT can be distinguished from another model of family therapy for schizophrenia, Behavioral Family Therapy. The need for research comparing EFT and other family therapy models for schizophrenia is discussed. Such research may have implications for the dissemination of effective family interventions, matching treatment models to family needs and understanding the mechanisms underlying the impact of family therapy on the course of schizophrenia and on family burden.