Because of the deinstitutionalization of psychiatric patients in
recent decades, relatives have become the most important
caregivers for adults with major psychiatric disorders (1).
Research in this area, which started in the mid-1950s (2), has
consistently indicated that the burden on relatives of caring
for the patient is considerable and that the relatives' well-
being and mental health may become seriously impaired (3).
During the past few decades several psychosocial interventions
for relatives of patients with schizophrenia have been
developed, varying from one educational session (4) to intensive
family interventions of 15 sessions or more (5). Some
interventions are aimed at preventing the patient's relapse.
Because of the clear relationship between the level of expressed
emotion in relatives and relapse (6), these interventions
concentrate on diminishing the level of expressed emotion
through education, training, and therapy. Effectiveness studies
of these interventions have demonstrated a strong effe