Journal List > Korean J Schizophr Res > v.16(2) > 1057792

Shin, Shim, Kong, Kang, Moon, Kim, Kim, Kang, and Jung: The Effect of a Short-Term Family Psychoeducation Program for Schizophrenia on Family Burden and Emotions Towards Patients

Abstract

Objectives

The aim of this study was to investigate continuously on how a short-term family psychoeducation program for schizophrenia would change the emotional stress and the knowledge of the family members.

Methods

Subjects were the family members who participated in the short-term family psychoeducation program for schizophrenia. The participants were asked to fill out self-reporting forms for 3 times-before commencing the 6-week family education, immediately after completing the program, and 3 months after completing the program respectively.

Results

A total of 46 subjects participated, and 20 of them responded to all questionnaires. Three months after the completion of psychoeducation, depression and anxiety subscale score among the General Health Questionnaire-28 decreased by 2.60 (p=0.04) and 2.20 (p=0.04) respectively. In caregiver burden criterion, the score decreased by 9.45 (p=0.04) in 3 months after completing the education. In knowledge about schizophrenia test, the score increased by 2.60 score (p<0.001), and this result was maintained after 3 months.

Conclusion

It was found that a short-term family education program for schizophrenia was effective not only in improving the knowledge on the disease but also in reducing anxiety and depression, and this effect was maintained immediately after the psychoeducation and so was it as time passed as well.

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Fig. 1.
Change of general health questionnaire-28 scores. ∗ : p <0.05.
kjsr-16-62f1.tif
Fig. 2.
Change of caregiver burden and knowledge. ∗ : p<0.05.
kjsr-16-62f2.tif
Table 1.
Epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of participants
Total (n=45)
Group 1 (n=20)
Group 2 (n=25)
t-value p-value
Mean±SD Mean±SD Mean±SD
Age 29.44±09.98 30.20±10.85 28.84±09.41 -0.45 0.33
Duration of illness (months) 73.58±69.79 94.95±79.13 56.48±23.67 -1.89 0.32
Number of admission 01.67±01.24 01.85±01.53 01.52±00.96 -0.88 0.19
Age of onset 22.60±08.59 21.70±10.06 23.32±07.39 -0.62 0.26

: participants of psychoeducation who finished all questionnaire three times

: Participants of psychoeducation who dropped out during the study. SD : standard deviation

Table 2.
Change of general health questionnaire-28 score during and after family psychoeducation
Pre education mean Post education mean Follow up Mean Pre-post Mean±SD p-value Pre-follow up Mean±SD p-value F
Somatic 05.55 06.20 05.20 -0.65±0.75 1.00 0.35±0.74 0.21 1.76
Anxiety 07.50 06.10 04.90 1.40±0.81 0.30 2.60±0.96 0.04 3.48
Depression 05.45 03.75 03.25 1.70±0.70 0.07 2.20±0.77 0.03 4.05
Social dysfunction n 06.85 06.95 06.25 -0.10±0.68 1.00 0.60±0.75 1.00 0.73
Total 26.60 23.50 20.00 3.10±2.13 0.49 6.60±2.55 0.06 3.43

: p<0.05. GHQ-28 : general health questionnaire-28

Table 3.
Change of caregiver burden and knowledge during and after family psychoeducation
Pre education Mean Post education Mean Follow up Mean Pre-post Mean±SD p-value Pre-follow up Mean±SD p-value F
Caregiver burden 37.90 31.15 28.45 -6.75±3.07 <0.120 -9.45±3.50 <0.040 3.49
Knowledge 10.85 13.45 13.70 -2.60±0.49 <0.001 -2.85±0.44 <0.001 19.74

: p<0.05

Table 4.
Correlation between score changes of each criteria immediately after the program
Somatic (p-value) Anxiety (p-value) Dysfunction (p-value) Depression (p-value) Total (p-value) Family burden (p-value) Knowledge (p-value)
Somatic 1.00 0.38 (0.10) 0.05 (0.83) 0.28 (0.23) 0.55 (0.01) 0.75 (<0.0001) -0.14 (0.54)
Anxiety 1.00 0.41 (0.07) 0.43 (0.06) 0.79 (<0.0001) ) 0.31 (0.18) -0.02 (0.93)
Dysfunction 1.00 0.43 (0.06) 0.53 (0.02) 0.23 (0.32) -0.01 (0.98)
Depression 1.00 0.69 (<0.0001) ) 0.29 (0.21) -0.16 (0.51)
Total 1.00 0.52 (0.02) -0.05 (0.82)
Family burden 1.00 -0.39 (0.09)

: p<0.05

Table 5.
Correlation between score changes of each criteria 3 months after completing the program
Somatic (p-value) Anxiety (p-value) Dysfunction (p-value) Depression (p-value) Total (p-value) Family Burden (p-value) Knowledge (p-value)
Somatic 1.00 0.20 (0.42) 0.18 (0.48) 0.16 (0.52) 0.29 (0.24) 0.54 (0.02) -0.10 (0.69)
Anxiety 1.00 0.38 (0.12) 0.34 (0.16) 0.58 (0.01) 0.36 (0.15) -0.13 (0.62)
Dysfunction 1.00 0.35 (0.15) 0.43 (0.07) 0.36 (0.14) -0.05 (0.84)
Depression 1.00 0.62 (0.01) 0.38 (0.12) -0.00 (0.99)
Total 1.00 0.42 (0.08) -0.15 (0.57)
Family burden 1.00 -0.30 (0.23)

: p<0.05

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