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Psychoeducation

Psychoeducation combines psychotherapy with education to help participants deal with a targeted problem in their life. It has been implemented in a variety of settings, ranging from mental health clinics to occupational training. Psychoeducation focuses on providing valuable information to clients, and helping them improve awareness, skills, and communication related to the target problem. Therapists serve as “facilitators” by setting the intervention goals and modifying the presentation of information to meet clients' needs. Psychoeducation can be used with diverse cultural and ethnic groups, and can be adapted to a number of presentation formats. Empirical evidence has shown that psychoeducation is an effective intervention that improves clients' lives by increasing knowledge, developing skills, and improving relationships.

This entry describes psychoeducation—what it is, how it differs from other modes of therapy, its basic principles and treatment components, how it is conducted, and its mechanisms of action. The entry discusses the development of psychoeducation and provides examples of the diverse settings in which this type of treatment can be used. In addition, it discusses the role of therapist as facilitator and addresses cultural concerns in psychoeducation, and concludes with a summary of the evidence supporting the use of psychoeducation.

What is Psychoeducation?

Development of Psychoeducation

The development of psychoeducation is related to the passage and implementation of the Community Mental Health Act of 1963, which resulted in deinsti-tutionalization. This act was developed to provide a more normalized way of living for individuals experiencing psychological disturbances who could be maintained on medications and treated through services in their community. Although the act was well intended, a majority of the community-based treatment was provided by overworked and understaffed community facilities. This resulted in poor or no treatment for many individuals. Deinstitutionalization failed in meeting its lofty goals and essentially abandoned those it was designed to help. This dilemma stimulated efforts to educate families on how to best care for relatives experiencing mental health difficulties. Psychoeducation was developed to fill the gap resulting from the negative effects of deinstitutionalization.

Another factor that promoted the development of psychoeducation was the shift in Zeitgeist from a belief that mental illness was a result of family factors (i.e., “family blaming”) to alternative explanations of psychopathology. This in turn led to more family-focused treatments such as psychoeducation.

Definition of Psychoeducation

Psychoeducation is a form of therapeutic intervention that combines psychotherapy and education. It can be used with individuals, families, and groups, and implemented on its own or as a supplemental treatment to other ongoing interventions (e.g., medication management and family therapy).

Psychoeducation works by increasing knowledge and improving skills. When administered in a group format, it also provides social support. Psychoeducation applies therapeutic interventions from other theoretical models (e.g., cognitive-behavioral therapy [CBT], systems approaches, client-centered therapy) and combines them with specific information relevant to the presenting concern of the client (e.g., symptoms of a particular disorder, navigating the education or mental health system, medication side effects, healthy eating or sleeping habits).

Settings That Employ Psychoeducation

Psychoeducation can be provided in a variety of settings, including hospitals, jails, the military, schools, businesses, career centers, mental health centers, and even over the Internet using chat room/discussion groups or individual contact. The treatment focus varies according to the setting and client's presenting concern. For example, psychoeducation could be used when working with the family of a child having a medical illness that affects the child's social, emotional, educational, and family functioning; when working with a husband and wife seeking marital counseling or parenting skills; or when assisting an employee to meet specific job demands.

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