Efficacy of a Brief Group Psychoeducation Program Aimed at Patients With Schizophrenia and Their Families: A Clinical Controlled Trial

First session: describe the clinical manifestations of schizophrenia, deny myths, and inform on the biological nature of the disorder. Second session: provide updated information regarding pharmacological treatment, their side effects and the importance of adherence to treatment. Third session: Achieving recognition of personal responsibility for the lifestyle, routine, physical care and the risk of addiction; awareness of the importance of self-monitoring of symptoms and the development of cognitive, behavioral and emotional strategies. Fourth Session: To recognize the role of family members in the treatment, the problem of expressed emotions and communication in times of crisis. Fifth Session: To know the rights and duties of patients and their families in the current health care system.

The patients in both arms of the intervention will receive this type of attention. The TAU is the psychiatric care that patients with schizophrenia usually receive in the clinic. This is done in consultation of 30 minutes, in which the psychiatrist evaluates the clinical condition of the patient and psychosocial factors that may be affecting, prescribes drugs according to protocols and clinical care and answers questions about the disorder. In the consultation a brochure with information is given about schizophrenia. The frequency of consultations varies depending on severity of symptoms usually split between one and six months.