Schizophrenic patients not only suffer from symptoms as the disease develops but also have human relations disabilities, significant dependency problems, degraded self-esteem, and learning disabilities when symptoms are relatively relieved. Also, due ...
Schizophrenic patients not only suffer from symptoms as the disease develops but also have human relations disabilities, significant dependency problems, degraded self-esteem, and learning disabilities when symptoms are relatively relieved. Also, due to the frequent reappearance of symptom and the difficulty of consistent treatment, in most cases, the disease become chronic and patients suffer from decreased social adaptability and deteriorated symptoms, repeatedly getting hospitalized. In order to break this vicious circle, various activity therapies to improve schizophrenic patients' social functions need to be provided.
Accordingly, this study conducted a Bibliotherapy to improve self-esteem and human relations of schizophrenic patients and evaluated its effect.
The study adopted Non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design and involved 60schizophrenic patients hospitalized. The research was carried out from May 4th to June 1st, 2006.
As research tools, Rosenberg self-esteem scale and Schiein & Guerney's relationship scale were used after being modified to fit this study.
A 45-50 minute therapy session was carried out in the experimental group twice a week for four weeks. Because of the nature of a collective therapy, the therapy was carried out in two groups.
Verification of the homogeneity of the experimental group and the control group was verified by chi-square test and t-test and verification of its effects was analyzed by t-test.
The results of the research were summarized as follows.
First, the experimental group that participated in the Bibliotherapy program displayed significantly higher self-esteem than the control group. This indicates that the collective reading therapy program is effective in enhancing schizophrenic patients' self-esteem(p=.035)
Second, the experimental group that participated in the Bibliotherapy program showed significantly better human relations than the control group that did not join the program. This indicates that the collective reading program had a positive effect on schizophrenic patients' human relations skills (p=.000).
Third, examinations both before and after the practice of the bibliotherapy program by subordinate factors of human relations showed that the patients' overall satisfaction, communication, reliability, affection, sensitivity, and understanding have improved after the therapy. Especially, there was a statistically significant increase in satisfaction, reliability, affection, openness, and understanding.
This study proved that the collective reading therapy program implemented by a nurse with expertise in psychology has a positive effect on the self-esteem and human relations of schizophrenic patients. So far, the subjects of research on schizophrenic patients at home were mostly delinquents or students. Therefore, this study carries a meaning because it confirmed the effect of the collective reading therapy on the self esteem and human relations of schizophrenic patients, when studies on schizophrenic patients were scarce.