Effect of Community Re-entry Program (CRM) in Patients with Schizophrenia

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of «Community Re-entry Program» (CRM) on psychological condition in the patients with schizophrenia.

In this quasi experimental design study that sampling was performed available and none randomized. 24 patients with schizophrenia who had the inclusion criteria selected and were placed into two intervention (n=12) and control groups (n=12). Data were collected using the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scales (PANSS) questionnaires and interviews. Then intervention group were instructed Community Re-entry Program (CRM). The program was contained 16 sessions، which was administered every other day، 3 times a week، during run program were used only routine treatment of patients in psychiatric hospitals (medication therapy and occupational therapy). The data from this study were analyzed through the t-test for independent groups.

The findings indicated that the negative symptoms of schizophrenia patients in the intervention group، compared with the control group showed no significant change after the implementation of community re-entry program (P<0. 05). Although it was evident that the change in the total average and other aspects but changes to the dimensions of (positive symptoms، general psychopathology and total score) were not significant (P>0. 05).

According the research findings community re-entry program could reduce negative symptoms in schizophrenia patients، this significant improvement can be attributed to the effect of the intervention، and the difference was not observed in the control group.