The effect of cognitive behavioral therapy‐based psychoeducation on internalized stigma and functional remission in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study is to determine the effect of cognitive behavioral therapy-based psychoeducation provided to individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia on internalized stigma and functional remission.Design and Methods: The study was conducted based on the quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest control group with 100 individuals, who were diagnosed with schizophrenia, in a Community Mental Health Center between September 2020 and June 2021.Findings: It was determined that after the cognitive behavioral therapy-based psychoeducation, the internalized stigma level decreased and the functional remission level increased in the experimental group compared with the control group.Practice Implications: In the study, it was determined that the experimental and control groups had low levels of functional remission and high levels of internalized stigma before the cognitive behavioral therapy-based psychoeducation, and the functional remission levels increased and the internalized stigma levels decreased in the experimental group compared with the control group after the cognitive behavioral therapy-based psychoeducation.

Evidence for the Effectiveness of Psychological Interventions for Internalized Stigma among Adults with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses

“…The McMaster Critical Appraisal Tool for Quantitative Studies was used to evaluate the risk of bias, and the results were expressed in percentage based on the number of criteria that were met (refer to Table S1 of Supplementary Materials ). Nine studies were rated >90% [ 32 , 33 , 41 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 ], sixteen studies were rated 80–90% [ 30 , 31 , 34 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 ], while two studies were rated 50–60% [ 29 , 55 ]. The manner in which randomization was conducted was described in each of the included RCTs.…”

“…There were 15 studies composed of individuals who were treated as outpatients [ 29 , 31 , 33 , 41 , 43 , 45 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 52 , 54 , 57 , 58 , 60 ]. There were six studies conducted on participants who were inpatients [ 30 , 32 , 42 , 46 , 53 , 55 ].…”

“…Three studies had samples that have either schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder as their diagnosis [ 30 , 31 , 54 ]. Nine studies had the majority of patients diagnosed with a condition that falls within the schizophrenia spectrum disorder [ 33 , 43 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 ]. Two studies used samples that met the criteria for serious mental illness (SMI); however, exact diagnosis was not stated but claimed that the majority of the participants had a psychotic condition [ 34 , 48 ].…”

“…In terms of the mode of delivery, there were a total of 20 studies that involved sessions that were carried out in groups [ 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 46 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 54 , 55 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 ], six studies involved sessions conducted individually [ 43 , 50 , 53 , 55 , 59 , 62 ], and only one study involved a combination of both [ 57 ].…”

“…As for the controls utilized, a total of 19 studies compared the interventions with Treatment as Usual or a Waiting List, which consisted of patients receiving their standard psychiatric or psychosocial treatments [ 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 48 , 50 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 ]. However, one of the studies also acknowledged that their Treatment as Usual was minimally enhanced by a brochure about internalized stigma [ 51 ].…”