Psychoeducation

This article covers a method of training that aims to impart knowledge and skills for a healthy lifestyle. In the French-speaking part of Canada, on the other hand , the term psychoeducation refers to a depth psychology-oriented, therapeutic approach to working with children, e. B. in homes.

Psychoeducation is a systematic and structured transfer of scientifically sound knowledge about mostly mental illnesses.

Psychoeducation can serve different goals and is therefore used in very specific to very broad areas, e.g. Example in the context of a particular therapy to, disease understanding and -bewältigung to improve, or to improve the mental health in general in the general population. Psychoeducation is not a separate therapeutic method, but is only used as one treatment measure among many.

aims

Psychoeducation always aims to enable a healthy lifestyle by imparting knowledge and skills. This takes place in different forms depending on the context:

• At the beginning and during the course of therapy, psychoeducation aims to improve understanding of a disease and its treatment. This should also make coping with illness easier. For example, a certain diagnosis and the corresponding disorder model are clarified .
• At the end of a treatment, psychoeducation can be used to ensure that the behavior newly learned in therapy is integrated into everyday life.
• In rehabilitation, patient education is attempted to reduce the likelihood of a relapse and to mitigate the consequences.
• In the case of specific limitations, compensatory skills can be imparted (e.g. as part of neuro-rehabilitation).
• Raising awareness and acceptance of certain diseases through education among the general population.

In most cases, psychoeducation is aimed at people who are currently suffering from a specific illness (especially mental disorders such as schizophrenia , depression , obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety disorders ) and people who take part in patient training as a result of an illness (including physical illnesses) such as cardiovascular or cancer diseases). If necessary, the relatives are included.

Working principles

It is believed that patients rethink and correct misunderstandings and misconceptions about their disorder with new, scientifically based knowledge. In this way, dysfunctional (disturbed) behaviors and attitudes can also be changed. It is also assumed that the classification of one's own (or, in the case of relatives, other's) suffering in an existing clinical picture has a structuring and relieving effect.

This should also encourage optimism towards the treatment in order to strengthen therapy motivation (see also compliance , adherence ) and to reduce additional burdens (e.g. through shame , self-devaluation and stigmatization ). Through psychoeducation, the patient is actively involved in the treatment concept and treats his illness in a joint exchange, so to speak, on an equal footing with the treating person. The interaction between therapist and client is deepened in a mutual relationship and forms the basis for the success of the treatment. Patients and relatives involved who are more precisely informed about the clinical picture feel less helpless. In addition, the risk of relapse ( relapse risk ) should be reduced.

implementation

Psychoeducation can take place in individual discussions or in groups and is usually carried out in German-speaking countries by psychologists , doctors, but also by qualified social pedagogues, occupational therapists or trained nursing staff. In the groups, several patients are informed about their diseases together. The exchange of experiences between those affected and mutual support also play a role in the healing process. In the Pacific and Asian regions, psychoeducational group programs are increasingly being developed by nursing professionals and verified through research.

The mainly verbal forms of communication in individual and group settings (lectures, discussions, role-plays, behavioral exercises) can be supplemented with written materials (self-help manuals, literature, brochures, etc.) (see also bibliotherapy ). For some years now, systematic group programs have been increasingly developed, the so-called psychoeducational manuals , in order to make knowledge about individual disorders and illnesses easily accessible to patients and relatives.

History of origin

The term psychoeducation (English: psychoeducation, "psycho-training") was first used in the USA in 1980 by the doctor CM Anderson as part of the treatment of schizophrenia . In doing so, she concentrated on informing family members about the symptoms and the course of the disease as well as on strengthening social skills, on improving the way family members interact with one another and on coping with stress more effectively.

Psychoeducation has its origin in behavior therapy , in which relearning one's own emotional and social skills is in the foreground. In the run-up to behavior therapy, Paul Dubois used the term education (French: éducation) as part of his persuasion therapy as early as 1908. Dubois is considered to be one of the pioneers in psychoeducation and the scientist who first introduced the term "education" to psychology and psychotherapy.

In Canada, the term has a longer, but more psychoanalytical- therapeutic pedagogical tradition.

Possible risks and side effects

There are also risks when using psychoeducation: imparting detailed knowledge about the disease, in particular about the chances of recovery, therapy options and the course of the disease, can put a heavy strain on the person affected or their relatives. Therefore, one should get an accurate picture of the patient's current psychological state beforehand. It should be taken into account how much knowledge the patient already has and how much knowledge the patient can absorb and process in the current state . The patient's ability to pay attention and concentrate as well as the emotional resilience should be taken into account. Acutely ill patients with schizophrenic psychosis who suffer from severe thinking, concentration and attention disorders are often overwhelmed at the beginning of their illness when they are confronted with too much information.

As part of a psychoeducational measure, only a (if possible scientifically well-founded) selection of perspectives or therapy options can be taken into account and discussed with the person concerned. As a result, those affected may be able to obtain an incomplete picture of their illness and their treatment methods and only decide on treatment alternatives with a correspondingly limited level of information. However, even with a complete description of the treatment options, care should be taken not to overwhelm those affected with too much information.

criticism

In contrast to the behavioristic and cognitive references of the concept, some critical aspects emerge from the perspective of systemic counseling and therapy. This includes the fact that symptoms of the disease can solidify because the unrestricted acceptance of the pathology and disability by those involved in the process limits or even prevents the chances of changing dysfunctional patterns in the context of life.

See also

• Supportive psychotherapy

literature

• B. Behrendt: My personal warning signals. A psychoeducational therapy program to prevent relapses in schizophrenic or schizoaffective illness. DGVT-Verlag, Tübingen 2001. (Manual for therapists and for those affected)
• B. Behrendt, A. Schaub (Hrsg.): Handbook Psychoedukation und Selbstmanagement. Behavioral therapeutic approaches for clinical practice. DGVT-Verlag, Tübingen 2005.
• H. Berger, J. Friedrich, H. Gunia: Psychoeducative Family Intervention (PEFI). Schattauer, Stuttgart 2004.
• Peter Buttner: Psychoeducation in the treatment of schizophrenia. Frequency of use, method, effectiveness. Dissertation . Techn. Univ., Munich 1996.
• P. Bräuning, P. Wagner: Between the poles of mania and depression , guide for those affected and their families. 2004, ISBN 3-8334-0749-2 .
• B. Behrendt, T. Wobrock: Psychoeducation in schizophrenia and addiction. Manual for leading patient and family groups. Elsevier, Munich 2006.
• R. D'Amelio, W. Retz, A. Philipsen, M. Rösler (eds.): Psychoeducation and coaching ADHD in adulthood. Manual for leading patient and family groups. Elsevier, Munich 2008.
• WP Hornung: Psychoeducation and psychopharmacotherapy. 1998.
• A. Kieserg, WP Hornung: Psychoeducational training for schizophrenic patients (PTS). : DGVT-Verlag, Tübingen 199.
• S. Klingberg, A. Schaub, B. Conradt: Relapse prophylaxis in schizophrenic disorders. Beltz, Weinheim 2003.
• G. Pitschel-Walz, J. Bäuml : Psychoedukation Depression.
• G. Pitschel-Walz, J. Bäuml: Psychoeducation in schizophrenic diseases.
• U. Terbrack: Psychoeducation of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder . Munich 2004, ISBN 3-437-56600-8 .
• G. Wienberg (Ed.): Make schizophrenia the topic. Psycho-educational group work with schizophrenic and schizoaffectively ill people. Basics and practice. Psychiatrie-Verlag, Bonn 1997.
• T. Wessel, H. Westermann: Problematic alcohol consumption - development dynamics and approaches for a psychoeducational training program. Lambertus-Verlag, Freiburg 2002.
• H.-J. Wittchen, J. Hoyer: Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy. 2nd, revised and expanded edition. Springer Verlag, Berlin 2011.

Web links

Wiktionary: Psychoeducation  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

• German Society for Psychoeducation eV
• Neurologists and psychiatrists online: what is psychoeducation?

Individual evidence

1. ^ Paul-Charles Dubois : L'éducation de soi-même . 1908 (German 1909).
2. ↑ Christian Müller: You have to believe in your healing! Paul Dubois (1848–1918) - A forgotten pioneer of psychotherapy. Schwabe Verlag, Basel 2001, ISBN 3-7965-1590-8 .
3. ↑ J. Schweitzer, A. Schlippe: Textbook of systemic counseling and psychiatry II. Verlag Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 2009, p. 62.