Effectiveness of a work-related stress management program in patients with chronic schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a work-related stress management program on perceived work-related stress in patients with chronic schizophrenia.


METHODS
A single-blind, randomized crossover design was used. Twenty-nine patients undergoing vocational training while working at paid part-time jobs in a psychiatric center were randomly assigned to receive 12 weeks of a work-related stress management program followed by 12 weeks of no treatment, or the reverse. The Work-Related Stress Questionnaire for Chronic Psychiatric Patients (WSQP) was developed for this study and used to examine the treatment effect.


RESULTS
The decrease in stress was significantly greater when the participants were undergoing the program compared to the decrease of stress when they were not (t = 2.93, p = .0034, r = .49).


CONCLUSIONS
The results show that the work-related stress management program had large short-term positive effects on the patients' perceived work-related stress. These findings support providing this type of program to employed patients with chronic schizophrenia.
Lee
Hui-Ling
HL
Department of Occupational Therapy, Tsao-Tun Psychiatric Center, Nantou County, Taiwan.
Tan
Happy Kuy-Lok
HK
Ma
Hui-Ing
HI
Tsai
Chia-Yu
CY
Liu
Yung-Kung
YK
D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D012559:Schizophrenia; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000628:therapy*