Improvement of patient attitude toward treatment among inpatients with schizophrenia and its related factors: Controlled study of a psychological approach

A randomized controlled trial was conducted in an acute inpatient setting t o test the effects of an intervention based on individual interviews, with the goal to improve patients' attitudes towards their psychiatric situation and understanding of illness and its treatment. In addition, the factors r elated to the improvement were explored. Fifty eligible male patients with DSM-IV schizophrenia recruited from consecutive admissions were allocated t o two groups: weekly sessions plus routine inpatient treatment or routine i npatient treatment only. Assessment was conducted twice, before and after t he maximum 8-week intervention period. The assessment included a self-repor t scale for measuring patients' psychological attitudes toward their treatm ent situation, scales of therapist perception and self-perception applying a semantic differential technique, end the Maudsley Personality Inventory ( MPI), in addition to assessment of psychotic symptomatology. We found a mod est but significant effect of the intervention on one domain of patient att itude: recognition of need for treatment. Trust of patients in their psychi atrist was a factor for improvement of the recognition domain. Neuroticism had some influence on the formation of personal relations in a psychiatric situation. This study lends support to the effectiveness of psychological t reatment on patient attitude, and indicates some factors related to its dev elopment. Copyright (C) 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.