Impact of Family Psychoeducation on Psychosis

Postpartum Psychosis

Postpartum psychosis, Perceived social support, Family psychoeducation

There is currently no clear involvement of families/caregivers in the care for postpartum mothers that develop postpartum psychosis. The lack of knowledge on causes of postpartum psychosis may influence the nature of perceived social support that mothers receive from caregivers. It is hoped that the provision of a culturally adapted version of family psychoeducation will bridge the knowledge gap and provide the much needed information. We therefore hypothesized that the involvement of a family member of a postpartum mother with a psychotic illness in a weekly session of family psychoeducation.

Postpartum psychosis causes distress to the mother, baby, spouse and other primary caregivers. This is especially true for Uganda where cultural beliefs for the causation of the illness place blame on supposedly the postpartum mother's promiscuity during pregnancy (COX, 1979). Cultural perceptions on the causes of postpartum psychosis may affect the nature of social support the mothers perceive from their families when they develop the illness. Other perceptions regarding postpartum psychosis in Uganda lay blame on supernatural causes like witchcraft. Family psychoeducation which sets out to inform families of the nature of the illness is called for so as to demystify the illness.

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Uganda