The effect of occupational therapy on positive and negative symptoms in schizophrenic patients

Poor social, self-care, and vocational functioning are criteria for a diagnosis of schizophrenia in most diagnostic systems. Consequently, improving the social behaviors of persons with schizophrenia has been a key target of psychiatric rehabilitation. The occupational therapy is a non organic therapeutic that causes elevated self stem, foppishness and strengthening of occupational behaviour. The aim of this survey is the effect of occupational therapy on the positive and negative symptom’s of schizophrenic patients with bear out their symptoms. This survey is an experimental study that, positive and negative symptom’s of schizophrenic patients assessed with scale for the assessment of positive and negative symptoms. Then the samples consisted of schizophrenic patients divided randomly into case (30) and control (30) groups. Occupational therapy was performed in case group within a period 20 hours in week for 6 months, then patiants assessed repeatly with SAPS.SANS. Quantative analysis of data was undertaken by using paired and dependent t students tesats and Willcoxon test. Results demonestrated the mean of the total score of negative symptom 72.5±19.5 and posetive symptom 112±32.57. Also occupational therapy effected on the posetive and negative symptom’s of schizophrenic patiants. In posetive symptom occupational therapy effected on the hallusination and bizzare behaviour (P<0.001), for all noeffected on dellusions and thought. In negative symptom occupational therapy effected on the apathy and involition, attention disorders, anhedonia and thought disorders (P<0.001), for all noeffected on inappropiate affect. The occupational therapy is a non organic therapuitic that causes elevated self steem, foppishness and strengthening of occupational behaviour.