Effect of self-consistency group intervention for adolescents with schizophrenia: An inpatient randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to explore the efficacy of structural group therapy on the self-consistency and congruence of inpatient adolescents with a diagnosis of schizophrenia.

METHOD: Sixty inpatient adolescents with schizophrenia were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 30) and a control group (n = 30). The intervention group was provided with a 12-session structural group therapy program for six weeks (1 h, two times per week), while the control group participated in a handicraft group. All patients were assessed with the Self-Consistency and Congruence Scale (SCCS) and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) at pretest, posttest, three-month and one-year follow-up. The results were analyzed using t-test and repeated measures ANOVA.

FINDINGS: The two groups had no significant difference at the pre-test of outcome measures (p > 0.05). Significant differences existed between the two groups in ego-dystonic, self-flexibility, SCCS scores, positive syndrome, general psychopathology and PANSS scores after the intervention (p < 0.05). At the three-month follow-up, ego-dystonic, self-flexibility and PANSS scores were also found to be significantly different between the two groups (p < 0.05). But the outcome measures were not significantly different between the two groups at the one-year follow-up.

CONCLUSION: Structural group therapy in a mental health setting had a positive effect on improving self-consistency and congruence, positive symptoms and general psychopathology of inpatient adolescents with a diagnosis of schizophrenia.