IMPACT OF PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL GROUPS FOR CAREGIVERS ON THE PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS OF PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA

Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric disorder، which is extremely stressful not only for the persons affected but also for their families. To determine the effect of psychoeducational groups for caregivers on psychiatric symptoms of patients with schizophrenia. Seventy outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia disorder and their caregivers were randomly allocated to either experimental group or control group. The patients in the experimental group administered antipsychotic drug and a psychoeducational intervention was planned for their caregivers، while the patients in the control group received a routine care. The psychoeducational program included ten sessions (for each group) during five weeks، each session lasting for ninety minutes. Pre-post and one month after the intervention، the patients’ psychiatric symptoms were assessed by Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). Data were analyzed using SPSS software. Based on the findings، there was no statistical difference from the point of demographic characteristics between the subjects. Between groups comparison of the baseline scores of Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale found no significant differences between the two groups، but at the end of the intervention and one month post intervention significant differences were observed. Planning and implementing of psychoeducational groups for caregivers can improve the psychiatric symptoms of patients with schizophrenia.