Evaluation of the Impact of a Psycho-educational Intervention On Knowledge Levels and Psychological Outcomes for People Diagnosed with Schizophrenia and Their Caregivers in Jordan

Abstract

Objective The aim of this study was to examine the the effectiveness of psycho-education delivered via a printed booklet for Schizophrenia patients and their primary caregivers’ in Jordan. It was hypothesised that treatment as usual and psycho-education delivered by a booklet would improve patients’ and primary caregivers’ knowledge of schizophrenia, improve patients’ positive and negative symptoms and reduce their relapse rates, and improve primary caregivers’ burden of care and quality of life better than treatment as usual alone. Method A single blind parallel randomized controlled trial was conducted between September 2012 and September 2013 at four mental outpatient clinics in Amman, Jordan. 121 patients with their primary caregivers were allocated randomly to an experimental (Psycho-educational intervention plus TAU in outpatient clinic) group (n = 58) or control (TAU alone) group (n = 63). Outcomes, measured prior randomization (pre-test), immediately post-intervention and at three months after intervention were patients and primary caregivers’ knowledge of schizophrenia, patients’ positive and negative symptoms and relapse rates, primary caregivers burden of care and quality of life. Results Participants receiving psycho-education and treatment as usual had better knowledge of schizophrenia at both post-tests, reduced positive and negative symptoms at post-test 1 and further reduction at post-test 2 compared with participants in control group. Patients hospitalisation and caregivers outcomes had reduced burden of care and better quality of life (P Conclusion Psycho-education delivered via printed booklets improves outcomes patients and their primary caregivers in Jordan better than treatment as usual. Our hypothesis is supported.