Schizophrenia in college students in Korea: a qualitative perspective.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to identify the salient themes that characterize the life experiences of college students with schizophrenia.


METHODS
Twenty-one schizophrenia patients enrolled in college underwent in-depth interviews employing semistructured questionnaires. The content of the interviews was analyzed for recurring themes and categories of experience.


RESULTS
Analyses revealed 25 themes and six categories of experience. Subjects reported the experiences of school life (23.6%), interactions with family (22.2%), interactions with friends (21.9%), a mental illness (20.5%), everyday life (6.1%), and social role performance (5.7%).


CONCLUSIONS
This study supports the need for treatment options that meet the students' actual life experiences focusing on developmental characteristics and needs.
Sung
Kyung-Mi
KM
University of Pittsburgh, School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. sung@pitt.edu
Puskar
Kathryn R
KR
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends / Q000523:psychology; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007723:Korea; D008016:Life Change Events; D008132:Loneliness; D008297:Male; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012380:Role; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities