Although family intervention programmes to instruct relatives in management and coping skills are often effective in reducing schizophrenic relapse, many families either fail to be engaged or withdraw from treatment at an early stage. Some possible reasons for this are described and some suggestions for increasing adherence are made. Adherence with interventions may be viewed as a complex behaviour pattern, and factors increasing or decreasing the probability of such behaviour occurring and being maintained can and should be investigated to maximise the clinical potential of family intervention programmes.