A treatment program for parents of schizophrenic children.

Abstract

ORE than 200 cases of childhood schizophrenia have been referred141 for study and treatment to the Children's Ward of Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital over a period of twelve years. The work of Bender and others has made it possible to recognize an increasing number of schizophrenic children and has provided us with more effective criteria for their differentiation from cases of mental deficiency, organic brain disease, and severe neurotic disorder. Many of these children have been followed closely for years with sustained contact with their families. As these longitudinal studies continue, we are impressed increasingly with problems presented by the parents.We have found that, despite their great need, the parents of our schizophrenic children tend not to accept help readily. They frequently come to us through necessity rather than by choice, many as a last resort. In some

Parents of schizophrenic children: Workshop, 1958: 1. Parental attitudes of mothers of schizophrenic, brain-injured and retarded, and normal children.

“…Coleman (2) and Kanner (7) i discussing the parents of retarded children refer to their confl ict, guilt, and 1 confusion. Bender (1) and Peck, Rabinovitch and Cramer (8) report similar observations of the parents of schizophrenic children.…”

Results of psychotherapy with young schizophrenic children.

“…Although the clinical picture varied somewhat in details, they were all severely handicapped and had no other resources for therapy. In three cases, the parents were not available to cooperate in the program of treatment; in the other two cases the parents were involved in the treatment program to the maximum of available facilities (1,12,14).…”

A Short Survey and Orientation With Particular Reference to Group Analysis*

“…Within recent years, a number of contributions have appeared which can be classified under the general heading of group analysis, mostly by therapists of psycho-analytic orientation. Suchauthors as N. W. Ackerman(l944, 1915), Jerome D. Frank & Florence Powdermaker (1948), Peck (1943), Red1 (1942 and Sternbach (1947), have become fully conscious of the dynamics of the group, as have those therapists who are more closely associated with the group-analytic approach in this country.…”

“…Its essential principles can, however, be applied to such discussion groups as might be called ancillary group therapy. I have in mind, for instance, such groups as the mothers of children in child guidance clinics, or the parents of schizophrenic children at the Bellevue Hospital, New York (see Peck, 1943;Peck, Rabinovitch & Cramer, 1949). I hope this paper has given some idea of the great range and variety of work which can be done in this field. Psychiatrists have an important contribution to make both from a practical and theoretical point of view.…”

“…Suchauthors as N. W. Ackerman(l944, 1915), Jerome D. Frank & Florence Powdermaker (1948), Peck (1943), Red1 (1942) and Sternbach (1947, have become fully conscious of the dynamics of the group, as have those therapists who are more closely associated with the group-analytic approach in this country.…”