BACKGROUND: The present study was conducted to examine factors that may be targeted by psychoeducation programs in order to reduce distress and increase hope in family members of individuals with schizophrenia. METHOD: Using separate stepwise multiple regressions, we examined the relationships among 51 family members' reactions to a loved one's illness (adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies, criticism, overinvolvement, and blaming attributions) and distress and hope. RESULTS: Maladaptive coping strategies significantly predicted more distress and less hope in participants. Further stepwise regressions examining the relationship between distress and hope and subgroups of maladaptive coping revealed that mental disengagement was a significant predictor of more distress and behavioral disengagement was a significant predictor of less hope. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that recovery-oriented psychoeducation programs that help family members remain engaged with their relatives and work through problems (rather than resorting to mental or behavioral avoidance) may be especially helpful for reducing distress and increasing hope in caregivers of the mentally ill.