A comparison of the service satisfaction and intervention needs of patients with schizophrenia and their relatives
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 28, 2026

Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure
Published on: September 19, 2019
Introduction:
Patients with psychotic illness are frequently dissatisfied with psychiatric services although it is unclear whether this can be explained as being due to the mental disorder itself, or to the lower quality of care received by this group of patients. We explored this issue by comparing service satisfaction from different user perspectives: patients and key relatives.
Method:
The satisfaction and needs of 52 patients with schizophrenia and 66 of their relatives were assessed using the Verona Service Satisfaction Scale (VSSS).
Results:
Patients were generally more satisfied with services than relatives, but there was a high degree of consistency between the groups regarding the aspects of the service which they were most, and least, satisfied with.
Conclusion:
Patient satisfaction surveys can be used as reliable indicators of service quality and can highlight specific strengths and shortcomings in mental health service provision. Such surveys can be very useful to help improve the quality of care for patients and their relatives.
Related Concept Videos
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
Drug Therapy
Antianxiety Medications
Family Therapy
Strategic Family Therapy
Strategic family therapy emphasizes resolving communication barriers and improving problem-solving abilities...
Relationship with Other Adult Family Members and Siblings
Community Based Intervention
Foundations of Community Mental Health Programs
Central to the success of community-based interventions is the...
Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia manifest as deficits in normal emotional and behavioral functioning, profoundly impacting daily life. Individuals with schizophrenia often display a flat affect, characterized by a near-total absence of emotional expression,...
