Collaboration with drug treatment by schizophrenic patients with and without psychoeducational training: results of a 1‐year follow‐up

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Abstract
Within a controlled prospective intervention study, schizophrenic outpatients randomly assigned to four treatment groups and one control group were assessed with regard to collaboration with drug treatment. In total, 39.3% of 84 regular attenders of the psychoeducational training programme and 26.6% of 64 control patients reported having persuaded their psychiatrists to modify their medication prescriptions. A total of 8.3% and 7.8%, respectively, modified their medication on their own initiative, although with subsequent approval by the psychiatrist, and 20.2% and 15.6%, respectively, modified their medication after consulting their psychiatrist. With regard to medication management, the groups did not differ either at post‐treatment or at follow‐up. At follow‐up, regular attenders showed a reduced fear of side‐effects, increased confidence in their medication and stable confidence in their physician. Among the control subjects, confidence in the medication and in their physician declined, and fear of side‐effects increased. Psychoeducational training therefore led to an optimization of patients' attitudes toward treatment, but not to changes in medication management.