The effect of group discussion method on the self-image of teenaged thalassaemic patients

Major thalassaemia, which is a chronic, and ever lasting illness may has permanent effect on self-image of these patients, which most of them in our country are under 18 years old. These effect in self-image of may cause psychosocial problems such as unpleasant image for threat, isolation, etc. Therefore this study was carried out to investigate the effect of group discussion on intellectual image of 11-18 year old patient with major thalassemia in the city of Shahrekord. In a quasi experiment, 35 teenagers (13-19 years old) with major thalassaemia referred to thalassaemia ward of Hajar Shahrekord hospital were selected none-randomly. Their intellectual images of selected patients were collected with questionairs. The patients were first divided into groups of 8-12 individuals, and participated in-group discussion sessions twice a week, for 8 weeks. The collected questionairs were analyzed using x2 and ANOCA tests just and one month after intervention. Our results showed that self-image marks were 180.1±7.66 and 187.9±5.9 before and after intervention, respectively. This was equal to 187.83±5.6 (p<0.001), after one month of intervention. There were significant relationship before and after intervention in psychological self and adaptation self of both male and female groups, but there were no significant relationship in scope of social self, sexual self as well as familial self (p<0.001). Using of group discussion method causes intellectual image improvement in thalassaemic teenagers, and is suggested as a health measures for chronic mentally ill patients such as people with thalassaemia.