Family intervention involves the introduction of a patient’s immediate family into a psychosocial treatment setting. Its goals involve preventing relapse, improving the family’s relationships and understanding of the disorder as well as improving their own mental health, should that be compromised. Family interventions have a focus on psychoeducation which provides information on the disorder, medication, and treatment adherence. They can also employ cognitive and behavioural strategies to improve problem solving, communication skills, and coping, and to reduce high expressed emotion in the family unit.

What is the evidence for family intervention?

Moderate quality evidence finds family therapy plus medication can reduce relapses and improve depression and mania compared to standard care (mostly medication alone). Moderate to low quality evidence finds carer focused therapy may also reduce relapses in patients.

November 2021

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