title: Effects of psycho-educational program on knowledge and attitude upon schizophrenia of schizophrenic patients' caregivers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Schizophrenia is mainly characterized by chronic psychotic symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, and negative symptoms such as social withdrawal. These symptoms cause behavior problems, i.e. aggressive behavior violence, or social isolation that affect the patients' lives, and the health status and daily routine of caregivers or family members. Psychological distress or burden of caregivers often results in poor care provided to these patients. Most studies showed that high expressed emotion in the family leads to high a relapse rate of schizophrenia. The psycho-educational program is aimed to provide education about this disorder help the caregivers to deal with the patients' problems more effectively, reduce psychological distress of caregivers, and provide social support for caregivers.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Study the effects of psycho-educational program on knowledge and attitude of schizophrenia on caregivers of schizophrenic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The participants completed the one-day psycho-educational program run by a team of psychiatrists in the Department of Psychiatry, Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. The psycho-educational program was composed of didactic session on schizophrenia, group discussion, and communication skill building. The participants were evaluated for the knowledge and attitude, before and after the program. The mean scores of knowledge, attitude before and after the program were compared by using paired t-test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-one caregivers of schizophrenic patients participated into the present study. The results showed that the mean scores of knowledge and attitude before the program were 6.06 (SD = 1.86) and 37.57 (SD = 6.46) and after the program were 6.91 (SD = 3.35), and 29.37 (SD = 15.79), respectively. The scores of knowledge and attitude of caregivers, before and after the program were statistically different. The participants evaluated the program as an interesting and very useful program.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psycho-educational program on schizophrenia increase the knowledge and shape the attitude of caregivers. Therefore, interventions targeting caregivers of schizophrenic patients should result in the successful treatment and rehabilitation of schizophrenic patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
authors.forename: Puangsoi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Worakul
authors.forename: Nuntika
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Thavichachart
authors.forename: Peeraphon
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lueboonthavatchai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends / Q000523:psychology; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D012559:Schizophrenia; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013785:Thailand