Abstract
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) has been increasingly recognized as effective in different mental illnesses, but these effects are limited in schizophrenia. For patients with schizophrenia, stigma is one of the most negative factors that affects treatment, rehabilitation and social function. This research aimed to determine the effects of MBCT on stigma in patients with schizophrenia. In total, 62 inpatients with schizophrenia were recruited and randomly assigned to the experimental group or control group. The experimental group received an 8-week MBCT intervention, and the control group were treated as usual. Link's Stigma Scales (with three subscales, including perceived devaluation-discrimination (PDD), stigma-coping orientation, and stigma-related feeling), Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), and Insight and Treatment Attitudes Questionnaire (ITAQ) were used to collect data before and after intervention. After intervention, the post-test score of PDD, stigma-coping orientation, FFMQ, and ITAQ were significantly different between the experimental group and the control group. In the experimental group, the PDD and stigma-coping orientation scores significantly decreased, and FFMQ and ITAQ scores increased remarkably (P < 0.05). In addition, correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between mindfulness and stigma. MBCT was effective in reducing stigma in patients with schizophrenia, which mainly manifested as changes in the patients' perception of stigma as well as the withdrawal and avoidance caused by schizophrenia. Enhancing mindfulness will help reduce the stigma level. MBCT is worthy of promotion and application in patients with schizophrenia.
Highlights
Schizophrenia is a serious chronic disease that begins at an early age and negatively affects emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, causing individuals to withdraw from their relationships [1, 2]
In order to determine the effects of Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) on stigma in patients with schizophrenia, we developed this randomized controlled trial that included the interventional and control groups that based on the scores measured before and after intervention
Research participants met the following inclusion criteria: patient was diagnosed with schizophrenia according to the Structured Clinical Interview for International Classification of Diseases-Tenth Revision (ICD-10) diagnosis criteria; patient was stable or in recovery, but still need to take medicine under the guidance of psychiatrists; patient has not participated in a mindfulness-based intervention program before; age ≥ 18 years; inpatient; and patient is able to communicate in Chinese
Summary
Schizophrenia is a serious chronic disease that begins at an early age and negatively affects emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, causing individuals to withdraw from their relationships [1, 2]. Schizophrenia has been identified as a priority disorder given its association with high levels of disability and premature mortality, human rights violations and loss of productivity [3]. The treatment and rehabilitation of patients with schizophrenia remains a global problem [4]. Antipsychotic drugs can control the psychotic symptoms of illness to a certain extent, the recurrence rate of the disease is very high once a patient stops taking his/her drugs. MBCT for Schizophrenic Patients some patients with schizophrenia still continue to experience disabling residual symptoms and impaired functioning
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