Psychoeducation

Psychoeducation means explaining complex medical facts about a mental illness in a way that those affected and their loved ones can understand. The term comes from the Latin *educare*, meaning “to lead out.” It refers to leading people out of ignorance and out of the feeling of being at the mercy of a diagnosis.

For parents, this usually works like this: A specialist explains in simple terms what the child’s diagnosis means, how the treatment is structured, what role medication or therapy sessions play, and how to recognize progress or the onset of a relapse. Psychoeducation is therefore not just a side lecture, but an integral part of treatment with its own specific goal.

There are two in-depth articles on this topic at Rückenwind: “Psychoeducation for Parents” describes what parents learn during these conversations, and “Psychoeducation for Children” shows how knowledge is conveyed to children in an age-appropriate manner. This article explains the overarching basic concept.

The main goal is practical: If you understand what’s going on in your own mind or in your child’s mind, you’ll be better able to cope with it. Four goals can be derived from the professional literature and practical experience.

• Understanding. Parents and children gain a clear picture of what the condition is—and what it is not.
• Relief. Factual information alleviates the pressure of wondering whether the family is to blame for the situation. This effect often goes hand in hand with the relief that comes from receiving a diagnosis.
• Treatment adherence. People who understand the reasons for a therapy are more likely to stick with it and less likely to discontinue it.
• Recognizing early warning signs. Families learn to notice the first signs of a relapse early on and to respond in a timely manner.

An informed patient can participate in the decision-making process with their doctor to determine which treatment they prefer. Experts refer to this as shared decision-making.

Psychoeducation is categorized based on the group of participants. The appropriate form depends on the condition, the child’s age, and who should be involved.

• Individual sessions with the patient or with individual family members.
• Family psychoeducation: sessions with a single family or with several families together, often involving three to six patients and their family members.
• Groups: groups consisting solely of family members with about eight to fifteen people, groups consisting solely of patients with six to twelve people, or mixed groups in which patients and family members work together.

The time frame also varies. Some programs consist of a single session, others include two to eight sessions, and still others provide support over a period ranging from three months to two years. In the area of ADHD, psychoeducation is closely integrated with parent training and forms the foundation for further treatment.

There are concrete figures on its effectiveness, particularly from the treatment of psychosis. In the Munich PIP study (Bäuml et al., 1996), only about half as many patients were readmitted to the hospital in the first year after their hospital stay if they and their families had participated in psychoeducational groups: 21 percent instead of 38 percent.

The effect persisted. Over a seven-year period, patients who did not receive psychoeducation spent, on average, about three times as many days in the hospital as the group that did receive psychoeducation. Most of the scientific evidence comes from the field of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders. For other disorders, psychoeducation is established as a core component in medical guidelines. The S3 guideline on ADHD describes psychoeducation as the foundation for all further psychosocial and pharmacological interventions.

It is not just the relapse rate that is measured. Families report better communication, fewer conflicts, and greater satisfaction with the home environment.

Psychoeducation is not a substitute for diagnosis. It begins once the nature of the problem is clear and continues to support treatment thereafter. If you suspect that your child needs more than just everyday support, the first step is to see a pediatrician, a child and adolescent psychiatrist (KJP), or a medical or psychotherapeutic specialist. There, they will determine whether a disorder is present and, if so, which one, and psychoeducation will be offered as part of the therapy.

Rückenwind This service provides coaching and support for parents. Janike is a social worker and parent coach currently training to become a child and adolescent psychotherapist; she is not licensed and does not make diagnoses. A diagnosis and the associated medical evaluation are the exclusive responsibility of a licensed professional or a child and adolescent psychiatry department.