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Comprehensive A-Level Essay on Family Therapy for Treating Schizophrenia

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DT

03/12/2025

Psychology

AQA Psychology A-level, Schizophrenia, Essay 7: Describe and evaluate family therapy to treat schizophrenia.

303

3 Dec 2025

2 pages

Comprehensive A-Level Essay on Family Therapy for Treating Schizophrenia

user profile picture

DT

@djt9

Family therapy offers a different approach to treating schizophrenia by... Show more

Essay 7: Describe and evaluate family therapy to treat schizophrenia
Family therapy is a range of interventions aimed at the family (e.g. Pa

What Is Family Therapy for Schizophrenia?

Family therapy brings together everyone living with someone who has schizophrenia - parents, siblings, partners, and ideally the person themselves. The main goal is pretty straightforward: reduce the tension, anger, and expressed emotion that can make living together incredibly stressful.

During these sessions, families learn about schizophrenia and what to expect, which helps reduce fear and misunderstandings. The person with schizophrenia gets to explain what kind of support actually helps them (and what doesn't), whilst family members practice better ways to communicate and solve problems together.

The approach teaches families to balance caring for their loved one whilst maintaining their own wellbeing. It's nearly always used alongside medication and other clinical care rather than on its own.

Key Point: Pharaoh et al. found that reducing family stress and improving communication can increase medication compliance, leading to fewer hospital readmissions.

Essay 7: Describe and evaluate family therapy to treat schizophrenia
Family therapy is a range of interventions aimed at the family (e.g. Pa

Evaluating Family Therapy's Effectiveness

Research evidence shows mixed but promising results for family therapy. Pharaoh's review found that combining family therapy with antipsychotics reduced relapse rates and hospital readmissions for up to 24 months after treatment. However, it didn't seem to help much with independent living or employment.

Here's the catch though - some researchers argue that family therapy's main benefit might just be increasing medication compliance rather than directly treating schizophrenia. This suggests antipsychotics are doing the heavy lifting, whilst family therapy simply helps people stick to their medication routine.

Family therapy doesn't cure schizophrenia - it just makes it more manageable. That said, it offers excellent economic benefits to the NHS because preventing hospital readmissions saves far more money than the therapy costs.

Reality Check: The evidence supporting family therapy is somewhat inconsistent across studies, which weakens the case for its effectiveness as a standalone treatment.



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THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

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This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

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The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.

Stefan S

iOS user

This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

Android user

Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good

Thomas R

iOS user

Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

Basil

Android user

This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

Android user

I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

iOS user

 

Psychology

303

3 Dec 2025

2 pages

Comprehensive A-Level Essay on Family Therapy for Treating Schizophrenia

user profile picture

DT

@djt9

Family therapy offers a different approach to treating schizophrenia by focusing on improving relationships and communication within the household. Rather than just treating the individual, this method recognises that the whole family system plays a crucial role in recovery and... Show more

Essay 7: Describe and evaluate family therapy to treat schizophrenia
Family therapy is a range of interventions aimed at the family (e.g. Pa

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What Is Family Therapy for Schizophrenia?

Family therapy brings together everyone living with someone who has schizophrenia - parents, siblings, partners, and ideally the person themselves. The main goal is pretty straightforward: reduce the tension, anger, and expressed emotion that can make living together incredibly stressful.

During these sessions, families learn about schizophrenia and what to expect, which helps reduce fear and misunderstandings. The person with schizophrenia gets to explain what kind of support actually helps them (and what doesn't), whilst family members practice better ways to communicate and solve problems together.

The approach teaches families to balance caring for their loved one whilst maintaining their own wellbeing. It's nearly always used alongside medication and other clinical care rather than on its own.

Key Point: Pharaoh et al. found that reducing family stress and improving communication can increase medication compliance, leading to fewer hospital readmissions.

Essay 7: Describe and evaluate family therapy to treat schizophrenia
Family therapy is a range of interventions aimed at the family (e.g. Pa

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Evaluating Family Therapy's Effectiveness

Research evidence shows mixed but promising results for family therapy. Pharaoh's review found that combining family therapy with antipsychotics reduced relapse rates and hospital readmissions for up to 24 months after treatment. However, it didn't seem to help much with independent living or employment.

Here's the catch though - some researchers argue that family therapy's main benefit might just be increasing medication compliance rather than directly treating schizophrenia. This suggests antipsychotics are doing the heavy lifting, whilst family therapy simply helps people stick to their medication routine.

Family therapy doesn't cure schizophrenia - it just makes it more manageable. That said, it offers excellent economic benefits to the NHS because preventing hospital readmissions saves far more money than the therapy costs.

Reality Check: The evidence supporting family therapy is somewhat inconsistent across studies, which weakens the case for its effectiveness as a standalone treatment.

We thought you’d never ask...

What is the Knowunity AI companion?

Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.

Where can I download the Knowunity app?

You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

Is Knowunity really free of charge?

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Most popular content in Psychology

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Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.

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4.9/5

App Store

4.8/5

Google Play

The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.

Stefan S

iOS user

This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

Android user

Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good

Thomas R

iOS user

Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

Basil

Android user

This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

Android user

I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

iOS user

The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.

Stefan S

iOS user

This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

Android user

Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good

Thomas R

iOS user

Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

Basil

Android user

This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

Android user

I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

iOS user