ABSTRACT
Families affected with schizophrenia, or more recently bipolar disorder, were recruited through voluntary support groups or by direct referral from mental health clinicians throughout the UK. The main voluntary support groups who assisted with recruitment were the National Schizophrenia Fellowship (Rethink) for schizophrenia and the Manic Depressive Fellowship for bipolar disorder. These groups provide support and advice for patients and their carers, and run regional meetings at which researchers from the study presented; they also produce regular newsletters in which the study was advertised. Letters were sent to consultant psychiatrists within the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, as well as other Trusts around the UK, providing information about the study and requesting clinicians to refer families who might be interested in taking part. Most of the families recruited lived in south-east England.
