Medicinal and Psychological Treatment of Schizophrenia Besides tormenting symptoms and a corresponding decline of performance, schizophrenic psychoses entail a bad social prognosis for the patient. Relatives, who mostly carry the burden of care for schizophrenic patients, are often overstrained. Pharmacological and psychological treatment strategies of scientifically well established efficacy have been developed from the vulnerability- stress model of schizophrenic psychoses. The present paper critically summarizes the history, neuropharmacology, classification, wanted and unwanted effects, and clinical use of antipsychotic drugs (neuroleptics). It also presents relevant psychological treatment modalities: psychoeducation, cognitive therapies, social skills training, and psychoeducative family programs. In conclusion it is demonstrated that behavioral therapy is effective in combination with antipsychotic medical treatment, and that psychological techniques can improve the efficacy of standard neuroleptic maintenance treatment.