Relation between self empowerment and social functioning among patients with schizophrenia

Abstract

Self-empowerment in schizophrenia may be associated with symptoms and social functioning. It is possible that being disempowered may adversely affect one's level of functioning and that improvements in self-empowerment were associated with overall severity of symptoms and improvement of social functioning. Aim of the study: to determine the relation between selfempowerment and social function among patients with schizophrenia. Subject: A convenient sample of 130 patients with schizophrenia from both inpatient and outpatient services of Neuropsychiatric Department of Tanta University Hospital. Study design: A descriptive correlation research design was utilized. Study tools: four tools were used: Tool 1 is Structured interview, Tool 2 is " Positive and negative syndrome scales, Tool 3 is The Empowerment Scale, and Tool 4 is Social Function Scale. Results: This study revealed that more than half of the studied patients had low sense of self-empowerment, one third of patients had moderate sense of self-empowerment, and the minority had high sense of self-empowerment. Conclusions: it can be concluded that, there was a highly positive statistical significant correlation between total self-empowerment level and total social functioning level, while there was highly negative statistical significant correlation between total self-empowerment level and total Positive & negative syndrome level, and there was a highly negative statistical significant correlation between social functioning level and total positive & negative syndrome level. Recommendations: Further research on developing programs that are needed for a better understanding of relations between schizophrenia, empowerment and social functioning to improve social functions and self-empowerment levels of patients with schizophrenia.