Family factors in the onset, course, and treatment of schizophrenic spectrum disorders: an update on current research.

Recent findings from several research projects on the role of family factors in the onset, course, and treatment of schizophrenia are discussed. The report emphasizes several key issues facing researches in this field such as how family characteristics associated with onset are related to the course of schizophrenia, replicability of findings on expressed emotion and relapse rates, and the construct validity of measures of familial characteristics. Ongoing studies employing neuroleptic treatment and family therapy are outlined, and the implications of these preliminary findings are discussed.