ABSTRACT
Research into psychotic patients' willingness to take neuroleptic medication has been dominated by quantitative studies carried out from a medical perspective, which have relied on the concept of 'compliance. This chapter describes two interventions designed to improve adherence in people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, which are currently being evaluated in a large randomised controlled trial. It is difficult to measure adherence accurately. However, reported adherence rates in people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia average out at about 50". Unfortunately, the consequences of non-adherence with neuroleptic medication can be dramatic. Nonadherence is associated with increased rates of involuntary detention, longer hospital admissions, and slower recovery from psychotic symptoms. number of psycho-social interventions have been designed to enhance adherence with neuroleptic medication. Educational approaches tend to improve knowledge about medication but not adherence rates. A competent clinician should be able to pitch an intervention at any point along this spectrum according to the needs of the patient.
