Social Work with the Family of the Schizophrenic Patient

Abstract

A review of a number of areas of the research literature dealing with the family of the schizophrenic patient is presented. In the era of deinstitutionalisation, the family has assumed significant importance in the community care of the long term mentally ill. In accepting the caregiving role, the family has experienced considerable ongoing difficulty. The implications for social work practice have been reviewed and include the need to engage families as a central part of comprehensive treatment, dealing with difficult feelings, working with the selfhelp movement, and developing support services for families.