Effects of Psychoeducation Program on Insight and Treatment Attitudes in Patients with Schizophrenia, Schizophreniform Disorder, and Schizoaffective Disorder / 대한정신약물학회지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to confirm effectiveness of psychoeducation program on insight and treatment attitudes in patients with schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder and schizoaffective disorder. METHODS: Seventy eight psychotic patients who were diagnosed as schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, and schizoaffective disorder by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th edition Text Revision (DSM-IV TR) were included. Subjects who decline more than 30% compared with baseline in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) scores participated in psychoeducation program. Insight and Treatment Attitudes Questionnaire (ITAQ) and Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI) were assessed at pre-psychoeducation, post-psychoeducation and 2 months after discharge to estimate insight and treatment attitudes. RESULTS:There were significant improvement in ITAQ and DAI scores at post-psychoeducation and 2 months after discharge. Increase in DAI scores related with high ITAQ scores at post-psychoeducation. Small changes in PANSS scores and ITAQ scores at post-psychoeducation had positive relationship. Subjects of late onset of illness and female took better ITAQ and DAI scores after psychoeducation. CONCLUSION: This study showed that psychoeducation program would be effective for insight and treatment attitudes in patients with schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, and schizoaffective disorder.