Focal Family Therapy Outcome Study I: Patient and Family Functioning^*

Abstract

This pilot study compared the efficacy of two models of family therapy plus medication in the treatment of ten schizophrenic patients previously considered poor responders to neuroleptics alone. Focal Family Therapy (FFT), a limited psychodynamic model, was compared with Supportive Management Counselling (SMC), an educative, problem-solving approach. Family treatment was begun during admission to hospital and continued for up to six months post-discharge. Patient and family measures were administered on assessment, termination, and at three, six and 12 month follow-up interviews. Our data suggest that patients in both groups improved significantly following treatment on measures of social functioning and community tenure. The average increase in amount of time out of hospital was a full year, compared to previous rates. Patients receiving FFT demonstrated significantly greater improvement in symptoms, compared to patients in the SMC group. On average, families scored in the normal range on the family functioning measure at assessment and upon termination of treatment.

Focal Family Therapy: Theory and Practice

“…The findings of this study are reported elsewhere (15) In summary, we have demonstrated that FFT was as effective as a psychoeducational approach in lowering expressed emotion and in improving the relapse rate for patients, and that patients from families treated with FFT showed a significantly more rapid improvement in symptoms than did patients treated with the psychoeducational aproach alone. The findings of this study are reported elsewhere (15) In summary, we have demonstrated that FFT was as effective as a psychoeducational approach in lowering expressed emotion and in improving the relapse rate for patients, and that patients from families treated with FFT showed a significantly more rapid improvement in symptoms than did patients treated with the psychoeducational aproach alone.…”

“…From 1983 to 1987, we carried out a controlled outcome study that compared the efficacy of FFT with a psychoeducational approach. The findings of this study are reported elsewhere (15) In summary, we have demonstrated that FFT was as effective as a psychoeducational approach in lowering expressed emotion and in improving the relapse rate for patients, and that patients from families treated with FFT showed a significantly more rapid improvement in symptoms than did patients treated with the psychoeducational aproach alone. We also compared our data with that reported in the literature with respect to community tenure for patients.…”

“…In summary, we have developed and tested a model (15) designed around an organizing principle, the Focal Issue. It was our goal to develop a model for those cases in which families are unable to respond to psychoeducational interventions.…”

Lessons from psychotherapy research for psychological interventions for people with schizophrenia

“…However, successful family interventions incorporating psychodynamic principles or techniques have been carried out in both Scandinavia and the US (e.g. Levene, Newman, & Jefferies, 1989Tuori et al, 1998), and reports have begun to appear in British psychotherapy literature reporting on successful exploratory use of psychodynamicinterpersonal interventions with people with schizophrenia (Davenport, Hobson, & Margison, 2000).…”

Estimate of global research trends and performance in family therapy in Social Science Citation Index

“…For example, the earliest outcome research was conducted by Sigal et al (1967), attempting to determine the indicators of therapeutic outcome in conjoint family therapy. Effective research was conducted during the 1970s (Rotrock et al 1977;Ewitt 1978;Woodward et al 1978) and during the 1980s (Lebow 1981;Pevsner 1982;Levene et al 1989). No significant family therapy outcome research was conducted in the 1990s, according to the SSCI.…”