The chronically mentally ill group treatment for individuals with schizophrenia

Comprehensive treatment programs for individuals with schizophrenia usually include a variety of groups, many of which have concrete tasks as a focus: medication management, social skills training, meal preparation, etc. These groups can simultaneously serve more general rehabilitative purposes if leaders apply principles of group leadership which recognize the neuropathological substrate of schizophrenia and which take into account the specific interpersonal characteristics and needs of individuals who have the illness. This paper presents a framework for leading task-oriented groups for individuals with schizophrenia and give examples from a medication group in a psychosocial rehabilitation program.