[Social skills training in psychosocial therapy of schizophrenia: a multicenter study for symptom management and medication management modules]

It is known that psychosocial skills training programs increase the efficacy of schizophrenia treatment. The aim of this study was to carry out the Turkish version of two modules of a commonly used program, Social Skills Training (Medication Management and Symptom Management Modules), and to determine its possible benefits.

The study was carried out at three sites. Fifty schizophrenic patients who were at least literate and who did not have language problems or organic mental diseases, aged 18-60, using antipsychotic agents in a standard dose and in a stable phase were included in the study. Eight training groups were formed. Each group consisted of 5-7 individuals and the study took approximately eight months. The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, the Quality of Life Scale: an instrument for rating the schizophrenic deficit syndrome, the Drug Treatment Compliance Scale and Pre- and Post-Tests of Social Skills Training were applied to the patients before and after the group education The scores of the rating scales were compared.

Thirty-eight (76%) patients completed the study. The mean age of the patients was 32 +/- 7, 84% were men, 58% had received less than 11 years, of education 84% had never married, and 97% were living with their families. The mean age of illness onset was 20 +/- 5 years, and the mean duration of the illness was 12 +/- 7 years. At the end of the study, the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale scores (baseline 42.0, after the training 37.1, p<0.02), and the Quality of Life Scale scores (baseline 67.5, after the training 75.3, p<0.01) were significantly changed. The level of knowledge of the patients about the medication and symptoms of schizophrenia increased 20.6%. Drug treatment compliance had also increased by the end of the study.

The results show that this program contributed to the treatment compliance and treatment efficacy in schizophrenia. Increased treatment efficacy might have played a role in increasing of the quality of life a long with the group milieu. It may be concluded that this social skills training program, which did not encounter any problems in application, may contribute significantly to the treatment of schizophrenia.