Effectiveness of Social Skills Training Program on Social Functioning and Severity of Symptoms Among Patients with Schizophrenia

This study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of socials kills training program on social functioning and severity of symptoms among newly admitted schizophrenic Patients. Quasi-experimental design (pre-posttest-groups) was utilized in this study. The present study was conducted at Al-Abbassia hospital for mental health. Purposive random sample consisted of 40 schizophrenic patients which were selected from six inpatient wards of newly admitted patients. Three tools were used to collect the data for the current study, Personal and medical data sheet, social functioning questionnaire and positive & negative symptoms scale (PANSS). A constructed social skills training Program was designed to help patients to develop and promote necessary skills for effective communication and interaction with others that needed for improved his/her functioning and independent living. This program was implemented over 15 sessions, three sessions per week and each session lasted about 60-90 minutes. Pre, and post assessment were carried out for the same group (self-control group). The current study results revealed that, overall significant effects of social skills training program regarding improving patients’ social functioning and decreasing severity of symptoms. There was statistically significant difference between pre, and post assessment regarding dependent variables. A statistically significant positive correlation were detected between dependent variables and patients’ related variables such as age, compliance with medication, with whom the patient stays, and numbers of previous hospital admissions. So, the study concluded that, the social skills training program was effective with newly admitted schizophrenics’ patients concerning enhancing patients, social functioning and reducing severity of symptoms. The study recommended that, social skill training program should be integrated as an intervention in conjunction with pharmacological therapy without contraindications and it can maximize the effect.