Abstract: Objective To explore the effects of assertive community and family treatment on family environment and compliance of patients with schizophrenia. Methods A total of 122 patients with schizophrenia discharged from January, 2014 to September, 2015 along with their families were enrolled and divided into intervention group (n=61) and control group (n=61). The intervention group received comprehensive intervention including family treatment by a professional team in the assertive community treatment model, while the control group received routine follow-up, for twelve months. They were evaluated with Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS), Insight and Treatment Attitude Questionnaire (ITAQ), Family Environment Scale-Chinese Version (FES-CV), duration of pharmaceutical treatment and relapse rate before, and six and twelve months after intervention. Results There were statistically significant differences between the intervention group and the control group in total score of PANSS, score of ITAQ and FES-CV six and twelve months after intervention (F_Group>1.760, P<0.05); 16 patients in the control group and seven patients in the intervention group relapsed during the observation period (χ²=4.340, P=0.037). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed statistically significant difference between the two groups in duration of pharmaceutical treatment (χ²=6.338, P=0.012). Conclusion Assertive community and family treatment can improve intimacy between patients with schizophrenia and their family members, reduce high emotional expression, improve medication compliance, and reduce relapse.

Key words: schizophrenia, assertive community treatment, family treatment, family environment, compliance