Collaboration with drug treatment by schizophrenic patients with and without psychoeducational training: results of a 1-year follow-up

Abstract

Within a controlled prospective intervention study, schizophrenic outpatients randomly assigned to four treatment groups and one control group were assessed with regard to collaboration with drug treatment. In total, 39.3% of 84 regular attenders of the psychoeducational training programme and 26.6% of 64 control patients reported having persuaded their psychiatrists to modify their medication prescriptions. A total of 8.3% and 7.8%, respectively, modified their medication on their own initiative, although with subsequent approval by the psychiatrist, and 20.2% and 15.6%, respectively, modified their medication after consulting their psychiatrist. With regard to medication management, the groups did not differ either at post-treatment or at follow-up. At follow-up, regular attenders showed a reduced fear of side-effects, increased confidence in their medication and stable confidence in their physician. Among the control subjects, confidence in the medication and in their physician declined, and fear of side-effects increased. Psychoeducational training therefore led to an optimization of patients' attitudes toward treatment, but not to changes in medication management.