The rationale for consultation with the families of schizophrenic patients

Mental health professionals have approached families that have a schizophrenic member with four quite different expectations about how the family can aid patient recovery: the family as a source of information; the family as caretaker for the patient; the family as patient stressor, needing family education; and the family as a dysfunctional system requiring family therapy. Overall, professionals have been negligent in attending to the needs of families, seen less for themselves than as agents to aid patient recovery. As an alternative or supplement to family self-help groups, a family consultation model provides professionals with an orientation for working collaboratively with diverse families in their efforts to cope with serious mental illness.