The effect of occupational therapy on some aspects of quality of life in schizophrenic patients

Schizophrenia is a severe and chronic disease that causes distress, disability, reduced productivity and lowered quality of life. The occupational therapy can help these patients to increase their self confidence and to strengthen their occupational behaviours. The aim of this study was to find the effect of occupational therapy on some aspects of quality of life in schizophrenic patients bedridden in Sina hospital of Farsan city in Charmahal va Bakhtiary province, Iran. In this clinical trial study all schizophrenic patients (62 patients) bedridden in Sina hospital were selected and their qualities of lives were assessed by Schizophrenic Quality of Life Scale (SQLS). Schizophrenic patients were divided randomly into case (32) and control (30) groups. Occupational therapy was performed in case group for a period of 20 hours in week for 6 months and then they were assessed again. Quantitative analysis of data was undertaken by using Independent- Student t test. Our results demonstrated that quality of life mean score was not significantly different between two groups in the beginning of the study. Our evaluation in the end of the study showed that occupational therapy had significant effect on some psychosocial aspects of quality of life in case group compared to the control group (P<0.001). Occupational therapy has positive effect on some psychosocial aspects of quality of life in schizophrenic patients, such as motivation. It is essential to use other treatments to control symptoms and signs in these patients.