The purpose of this study was to identify the factors influencing symptom self management (SSM) in the patient with a chronic mental disorder.

Data was collected by questionnaires from 204 chronic mental disorders in an outpatient clinic in a General Hospital and Public Mental Health Centers in Seoul and Kyunggi Province. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, pearson correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression.

The score of SSM showed a significantly positive correlation with the score of the level of self efficacy (SE) (r=.33, p=.00), social support (SS) (r=.27, p=.00), self care agency (SCA) (r=.36, p=.00) and daily living ability (DLA) (r=.34, p=.00). The score of DLA showed a significantly positive correlation with the score of level of SE (r=.46, p=.00), SS (r=.51, p=.00), and SCA (r=.52, p=.00). The most powerful predictor of SSM was SCA (14%). A combination of SCA, DLA, and SS account for 20 % of the variance in SSM.

This study suggests that SCA, DLA, and SS are significant influencing factors on SSM in patients with chronic mental disorders.