MANAGEMENT OF SOCIAL DISABILITIES IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

This study describes the profile and nature of social disabilities in schizophrenia and the effect of intervention on them. Sixty five schizophrenic patients who constituted the experimental group were compared with sixty patients from a different centre. They were evaluated at intake for negative symptoms, social disabilities and psychological impairments. One group was provided with medication alone and the other was exposed to an intervention programme comprising of social skills training, family education, occupational therapy and medication management training, etc. After one year, both the groups were evaluated on the same parameters. It was found that both groups showed decline in some negative symptoms and improvement in certain disabilities. Issues such as duration of intervention, components of intervention and role of psychosocial rehabilitation are discussed.