Journal of the Scientific Society (Jan 2014)

Efficacy of social skill training in patient with chronic schizophrenia: An interventional study

  • Sateesh R Koujalgi,
  • Shobhadevi R Patil,
  • Raghavendra B Nayak,
  • Sameeran S Chate,
  • Nanasaheb M Patil

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4103/0974-5009.141201
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 41, no. 3
pp. 156 – 161

Abstract

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Background: Patients with schizophrenia often have social skills deficits. Social skill training (SST) is a structured learning oriented approach for patient with schizophrenia. Effectiveness of SST improves communication, which achieves patient′s goals in social situations. Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of SST in patient with schizophrenia. Materials and Methods: A total of 65 patients with chronic schizophrenia participated in the study, 34 in experimental and 31 as a control group. This was cross-sectional interventional study. The patients were diagnosed as having schizophrenia (all types) disorders using International Classification of Disease 10 (ICD-10), classification of mental and behavioral disorders, ICD-10 diagnostic criteria for research criteria. Patient with more than 2 years duration of illness were included in the study groups. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale was used to rule out predominant positive symptoms. Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), and social adaptive functioning evaluation (SAFE) were used to measure the efficacy of SST in schizophrenia patient. All participants were examined on SANS, and SAFE on pre- and post-test design. Data were analyzed using Statistical pakage for social sciences SPSS 17 version. P < 0.005 was considered as statistically significance. Results: The pre-and post-intervention score of SAFE of the control group did not show significant differences (P = 0.053). There was a significant difference between the pre- and post-intervention SAFE scores in the experimental group were noted (P < 0.002). The result indicated no significant decrease in SANS score in the experimental group compared to the control group (P = 0.072). However, results indicated significant improvement in alogia, apathy, and anhedonia (P = 0.007, P = 0.030, P = 0.025. Conclusion: SST is effective in improving social skills of patients with schizophrenia. SST is effective in alogia, apathy and anhodonia, but not other domains of negative symptoms.

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