The effect of illness management skills training applied to patients with schizophrenia on engulfment, quality of life and illness management and recovery levels

This study was conducted to examine the effects of the Illness Management Skills Training applied to patients with schizophrenia on levels of engulfment, quality of life, and illness management and recovery. The research was a parallel-group randomized controlled trial designed in a pre-test-post-test design and was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06883734). The study was conducted with 50 patients with schizophrenia (intervention=25, control=25) registered in mental health and diseases outpatient clinic of a university hospital. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form, Modified Engulfment Scale, SF 36 Quality of Life Scale and Illness Management and Recovery Scale-Patient Form. The data were collected by the researcher through face-to-face interviews based on self-report as pre-test and post-test. The patients in the intervention group applied Illness Management Skills Training in one session per week for 12 weeks, while the patients in the control group did not receive any intervention. In evaluation of the data; t test in independent groups and dependent groups, and mixed ANOVA test was used for time*group interaction. Homogeneity between groups in terms of independent variables was evaluated by chi-square analysis (multivariate chi-square, chi-square with Yates correction and Fisher's exact test). According to the findings from the study, Illness Management Skills Training had a positive large effect on patients' levels of engulfment, quality of life and illness management and recovery (Cohen's d=0.92-0.97). After the intervention, it was found that the mean scores of "Modified Engulfment Scale" decreased in the intervention group than in the control group; the mean scores of "SF 36 Quality of Life Scale Physical and Mental Component Summary Scales" and "Illness Management and Recovery Scale-Patient Form" increased, and the difference between groups was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). It was determined that time*group interactions of the results obtained were significant and the differences were due to post-test measurements of intervention group. In line with the results of this study, it can be said that Illness Management Skills Training is an effective psychiatric nursing intervention that reduces patients' engulfment, increases their quality of life in terms of physical and mental health, and increases their illness management and recovery.