Group Psycho-Education on Schizophrenia for Caregivers: A Pre and Post Assessment

Schizophrenia is a serious and long-term mental illness. In the recent decades mental health care system across the world is moving towards community based care and the family caregivers have increased responsibility in managing their ill relatives. Hence caregivers are to be integrated within the mental health treatment plan. Caregivers often face difficulties in fulfilling their roles due to lack of knowledge about illness. This influences the process of caregiving in the form of their expressed emotions which is an important factor during the recovery process of persons with schizophrenia. One of the main contributors to relapse is expressed emotions. Hence, it is inevitable that they need to have knowledge about illness, treatment and available support for effective caring and management. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of psycho-education on knowledge and expressed emotions of caregivers in the pre and post psycho-educational intervention along with routine out patient treatment. A total of 120 caregivers were samples. The study employed a pre and post without control research design where 120 caregivers of persons with Schizophrenia were recruited using purposive sampling technique. They were assessed using Knowledge about Schizophrenia Interview (KASI) and Family Attitude Questionnaire (FAQ) before and after the group intervention which focused on dissemination of information regarding schizophrenia and other psychosocial inputs. The knowledge about diagnosis, symptoms, etiology, medication, course, prognosis and management were found to be improved significantly (t = 56.33, p < .000) after psycho-education. The caregivers were found to have a significant decrease in the way they expressed their critical comments, hostility, dissatisfaction and emotional over involvement. They were able to show a higher level of warmth (t = 62.96, p < .000) after psycho- education. Caring for a person with schizophrenia exacts an emotional toll and it might result in a negative emotional atmosphere in the patient's family if they lack knowledge about the illness. This could reduce the caregivers capacity to support their ill relatives. The results prove that a periodic group psycho-education along with routine out patient treatment would be beneficial in providing better care for persons with schizophrenia.