Online Family Support and Education for Schizophrenia

Although psychoeducational programs for schizophrenia can reduce patient relapse rates and reduce family distress, participation rates are often low. This study will provide the families of schizophrenia patients with knowledge of illness management to reduce family burden and increase perceived social support.

Relatives of patients with schizophrenia receive either 18 months of customary care or 18 months of customary care with access to the educational website for the first year. Families are provided with private, secure access to the website, which features family-to-family chat capabilities, video lectures on the management of schizophrenia, written materials on important issues in schizophrenia management, professionally facilitated online discussions of the material, and additional resource links.

Relatives have 90-minute interviews at the beginning of the project and every 6 months for 18 months. The interviews are used to assess the family member's perception of the patient's symptoms, his or her knowledge of the illness, the illness's impact on the family member, and his or her perception of the website intervention.

Patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder are also asked to complete interviews and assessments at the beginning of the project and every 3 months for 18 months. The assessments include questions about symptoms, medication compliance and side effects, hospitalizations, and social functioning.