The effect of cognitive behavioral therapy based psychoeducation on treatment adherence and aggression in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia

Aim: This study was conducted to determine the effect of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-based psychoeducation on treatment adherence and aggression in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia. Material and Method: The research was conducted between June 2022 and July 2023 with 73 schizophrenic patients (33 experimental, 40 control) as a quasi-experimental model with pretest-posttest control group. Data were collected using the Descriptive Characteristics Form, Morisky Treatment Adherence Scale (MTS), and Buss-Perry Aggression Scale (BPSS). The schizophrenic patients in the experimental group were given 8 sessions of CBT-based psychoeducation, while the schizophrenic patients in the control group were not given any training. In the analysis of the data were used mean, standard deviation, Chi-square test and t test for dependent and independent groups. Results: It was determined that the level of treatment compliance (3.57±0.66) of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia in the experimental group after CBT-based psychoeducation increased compared to the level of treatment adherence (2.17±1.36) of schizophrenia patients in the control group, and the level of aggression (73.12±15.28) decreased compared to the level of aggression (85.60±11.72) of schizophrenia patients in the control group. In the study, it was determined that psychoeducation based on CBT created a statistically significant difference (p=0.001) in treatment adherence and aggression levels in the experimental group. Conclusion: It was determined that CBT applied to individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia was effective on increasing treatment adherence and reducing aggression. Psychiatric nurses include CBT-based psychoeducation in their nursing practices it is recommended that in order to increase treatment compliance and reduce aggression in individuals with schizophrenia. Keywords: Aggression, CBT, Psychiatric nursing, Psychoeducation, Schizophrenia, Treatment adherence