Drug and Family Therapy in the Aftercare of Acute Schizophrenics

TLDR

In a six‑week controlled trial, 104 acute, young schizophrenics were randomized to one of four after‑care conditions combining two dose levels of fluphenazine enanthate (1 ml or 0.25 ml) with or without crisis‑oriented family therapy. Relapse rates over six weeks and at six months were lowest (0 %) in patients receiving high‑dose fluphenazine enanthate plus crisis‑oriented family therapy and highest (48 %) in the low‑dose, no‑therapy group, with family therapy improving symptom ratings at six weeks and sustaining benefits at six months only among high‑dose patients, and premorbid adjustment status interacting with treatment response.

Abstract

• After a brief inpatient hospitalization, 104 acute, young schizophrenics, stratified by premorbid adjustment, were randomly assigned to one of four aftercare conditions for a six-week controlled trial. Conditions involved one of two dose levels of fluphenazine enanthate (1 ml or 0.25 ml) and presence or absence of crisis-oriented family therapy. Relapses during the six-week period and at six-month follow--up were least in patients who received<i>both</i>high-dose and family therapy (0%) and greatest (48%) in the low-dose-no therapy group. Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale symptom ratings disclosed a significant family therapy effect at six weeks that was sustained at six months only for therapy patients originally receiving the high drug dose. Numerous interactions were found between premorbid adjustment status and response to the two treatment conditions.