Effect of Adjunct Psychosocial Skills Training on Social Functioning of Schizophrenia Patients Who Get Occupational Therapy in a Community Mental Health Center: A Comparative Study.

Introduction: Antipsychotic drugs are effective in relieving symptoms in the treatment of schizophrenia, but decreased social functioning is resistant to drugs. In this study, the effect of adjunct Psychosocial Skills Training (PSST) on social functioning for schizophrenia patients who receive service in the community mental health center (CMHC) was investigated.

Method: Schizophrenia patients who received routine case management and occupational therapy in CMHC (n=22), patients receiving PSST in addition to CMHC service (n=21) and patients who were followed up in the Psychotic Disorders Outpatient Clinic as control group (n=21), three groups were formed. In the initial evaluations of the participants, the sociodemographic data form was filled. Social functioning and severity of clinical symptoms were evaluated at the beginning and at end of three-month follow-up period with the Social Functionality Scale (SFS), Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS).

Results: At the end of the follow-up period, there was a significant decrease in PANSS total scores, a significant increase in PSP and SFS total scores in the last test evaluations of the study groups. There was not any statistically significant change in the control group. The decrease in PANSS total score in PSST group is significantly higher than CMHC group. There was no significant difference between PSP and SFS scores between intervention groups.

Conclusion: The psychiatric rehabilitation in CMHC has a positive effect on the social functioning and clinical symptoms of schizophrenic patients. Adjunct PSST to routine service seems to help relieving clinical symptoms.