There is a need to address vulnerable carers in schizophrenia and severe mental illness, although research has not yet defined feasible risk assessment routines. Caregiver needs must be sought and targeted instead of blindly delivering previously defined programs. In Portugal, where psychoeducational family work has been scarcely implemented/evaluated, the Families of Psychotic Patients(FAPS) Project is now running in Lisbon. It consists of a prospective study of caregivers, which will be followed in time by a group intervention study for a defined sub-sample.

Caregivers' assessments (baseline) include the Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire, the GHQ, the Social Network Questionnaire and a schedule including questions on intervention needs/adherence). Patients are given the BPRS, WHO-DAS II and GAF. We present preliminary data concerning baseline assessments of a first cohort of the prospective survey (n=70). A convenience sample of primary caregivers to patients with schizophrenia, schizo-affective or delusional disorders (ICD-10) was considered.

Key-relatives (age 59.4±13.1 yrs) were mostly female (87%). Burden was evident (especially IEQ worrying 18.9±5.4). 31,4 % scored GHQ+, while needs for family work were not invariably expressed, in discrepancy with interviewers's expectations.

Caregiver burden and psychological distress do not imply adherence to family interventions (either in relative groups or behaviour family therapy format). Moreover, some of the most distressed carers seem to be the hardest to recruit.

These considerations must be checked at follow-up with the whole sample and warrant further research. Apparently, one should tailor family intervention programs to each family according to prior detailed assessments.