Family of a person suffering from schizophrenia in the context of a qualitative approach to understanding the family as a system.

Qualitative analysis of the family system including a person suffering from schizophrenia is an underestimated research paradigm in modern psychiatry, clinical psychology and psychotherapy. This method is important both from the cognitive point of view and for evaluation of the effectiveness of therapy.

AIM: The aim of the study was a qualitative analysis of the therapeutic process in a family whose member is suffering from schizophrenic psychosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study of the process using qualitative research methodology in the paradigm of systemic thinking pointing to the mutual interactions in the family system inducing relapses in the identified patient, with identification of triangulation processes, transgenerational myths inheritance and coalitions formed by the family members.

RESULTS: The course of a therapeutic process of the family consisting of a parental couple and an adult daughter who was a patient with schizophrenia was investigated. Relapses of the daughter's disease occurred at the time of over-controlling attitude of the mother. Excessive control was associated with the daughter's immediate cut off from the family, discontinuation of medication, and a relapse. The relapse meant a repeated attempt of the mother to take control over the daughter's medication.

CONCLUSIONS: The analyzed family is genetically predisposed to the development of schizophrenic psychosis. Schizophrenia in the daughter is likely to have a neurodevelopmental background - it has developed as a result of the interaction of biological factors (genetic predisposition) and factors that interfered with the intrauterine development of the fetus. The burden of mental disorder is inherited transgenerationally in the analyzed family. Excessive anxiety of the mother, exaggerated emotional expression, and attempts to control the treatment lead to relapses of the daughter's disease. Recurrences are a circular process induced by the mother's attitude.