Family and peer resources in relation to psychological condition in patients with paranoid schizophrenia

Abstract

Aim of the study: The main objective of this study was seeking for the predictive role of social resources in maintaining the psychological condition by adults suffering from paranoid schizophrenia. Subject or material and methods: The study group comprised 201 individuals, 95 females and 106 males, aged between 18 and 54, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and being treated in psychiatric rehabilitation wards. The following instruments were used: clinical interview, a survey created the study, to measure life experience and coping with adverse life situations and their subjective outcomes for the social functioning, The Family Strengths Scale, The Perceived Social Support Scale, The Berne Questionnaire of Subjective Well-Being, The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, The Mood Scale, and The General Health Questionnaire. The correlation analysis and the path analysis were used. Results: The results confirmed that family resources significantly and directly influence a decline in perceiving the psychological condition of patients with schizophrenia. Life experience intensifies disease indicators adverse to healing. More significance was discovered in the case of support from father and comrades. The higher support from comrades was significantly related with lower self-assessed mental health. Discussion: The present study suggested that indicators of family and social support also mediate the intensity of indicators of healing and attenuation of disease indicators, and the source of support is highly important for the course of the disease. Conclusions: The educational and psychotherapeutic actions aimed at enhancing beliefs concerning the role of family and peer support in the healing process should be included in the long-term treatment of patients with paranoid schizophrenia and their families.