How can psychoeducation help in the treatment of mental disorders?

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to introduce psychoeducation as a strategy for building information on mental health, as well as to discuss its potential contribution to the decision of seeking treatment, treatment adherence, and decrease of mental disorder symptoms. Method: For this purpose, a narrative review of the literature was performed. Results: Results showed that psychoeducation contributes to the search for treatment by informing individuals that their suffering is the result of a treatable disorder rather than personal characteristics. Subsequently, it contributes to treatment adherence by communicating how it works and what results are expected. This contribution of psychoeducation to treatment adherence seems to reduce the symptoms of the disorder, i.e., the symptoms decrease because the individual is engaged in the treatment. Conclusion: We conclude that psychoeducation acts as a “gateway” for seeking treatment and treatment adherence, consequently decreasing symptoms.

Attitude towards mental help-seeking, motivation, and economic resources in connection with positive, negative, and general psychopathological symptoms of schizophrenia: a pilot study of a psychoeducation program

“…The program also provided therapeutic counseling and training that improved patients’ understanding of their problem, which helped them create a positive attitude about getting care. A negative help-seeking attitude toward treatment, on the other hand, might result in negative perceptions that can cause treatment avoidance and discontinuation ( 77 ).…”