Barriers to an alliance between family and professional caregivers in chronic schizophrenia

Abstract

Informal caregiving by relatives is an important component of the daily environment for many sufferers from chronic mental illness. This paper considers some possible reasons for the uncomfortable relations which often seem to occur between the family and the professional caregivers. Some of the barriers to an effective therapeutic alliance may be system-wide inadequacies in resources for an area of health care which is still somewhat stigmatized. However, other barriers seem to be attitudinal in nature. This paper proposes several ways in which the mental health professionals and family caregivers may work together more constructively as co-therapists. These are issues which require explicit consideration in the initial and continuing education which mental health professionals receive.