[Therapeutic family counseling of schizophrenic patients: rational aspects, concept and practical guidelines]

This paper outlines the controlling principles of practice when working with groups of relatives and/or family members to help schizophrenics to master their lives and to assist in preventing relapses. Emphasis is on the importance of giving valuable assistance to the relatives in their therapeutic role. Questions regarding the conceptual basis, the formation and management and the transfer to the care of self-help groups are dealt with. Finally, the article reviews previous studies on the therapeutic efficiency of self-help and family groups.