scholarly journals A twelve-week randomized controlled study of the cognitive-behavioral Integrated Psychological Therapy program: positive effect on the social functioning of schizophrenic patients

2007 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 140-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marilene Zimmer ◽  
Adriana Veríssimo Duncan ◽  
Daniela Laitano ◽  
Eloisa Elena Ferreira ◽  
Paulo Belmonte-de-Abreu

OBJECTIVES: The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of twelve weekly sessions of the cognitive-behavioral program originally known as the Integriertes Psychologisches Therapieprogramm für Schizophrene Patienten, designated the Integrated Psychological Therapy (IPT) program in English, on cognition, social adjustment and quality of life in schizophrenic outpatients, comparing it to the effect of treating such patients as usual. METHOD: Fifty-six adult outpatients (from 18 to 65 years of age) with ICD-10-based diagnoses of schizophrenia were randomly assigned to two different groups: active intervention (IPT group); and treatment as usual (control group). Outcome measures were quality of life (as determined using the WHOQOL-Bref), cognition (Mini-Mental State Examination and Word Recall Test), global functioning (DSM-IV Global Assessment of Functioning Scale), social functioning (Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale) and social adjustment (Social Adjustment Scale). RESULTS: The findings suggest that, in comparison with treatment as usual (control group), the twelve-session IPT program had a positive effect on several outcome measures: cognition in the domains of spatiotemporal orientation (p = 0.051) and memory (p = 0.031); overall social adjustment (p = 0.037), leisure/social life (p = 0.051) and family relations (p = 0.008); overall functioning (p = 0.000); social-occupational functioning (p = 0.000); and quality of life in the psychological domain (p = 0.021). CONCLUSIONS: The twelve-session cognitive-behavioral IPT intervention demonstrated superiority over treatment as usual in its effects on cognition, social adjustment and quality of life. Studies involving larger samples, longer follow-up periods and additional outcome measures are needed in order to assess the specific effects on dimensions of social functioning, cognitive functioning and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia.

2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 138-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynndall Dwyer ◽  
Sara Olsen ◽  
Tian Po S. Oei

Recent literature has shown that group cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective for individuals with heterogeneous anxiety disorders. However, these studies have used a narrow range of outcome measures, and have not included global measures such as quality of life. In addition, heterogeneous mood disorders have not been well researched. The aim of this study was to replicate and extend on previous studies by assessing the effectiveness of group CBT treatment programs designed for use with heterogeneous anxiety or depressive disorders. Global outcome measures of quality of life and social functioning were assessed in addition to outcome measures of anxiety and mood symptoms. There were 173 patients who completed either group CBT for anxiety disorders or for depressive disorders. Symptom measures and quality of life measures were used to determine treatment effectiveness. Results demonstrated that the treatments were effective in reducing overall symptom severity and improving quality of life. Treatment gains were maintained to 12 month follow-up. However, the degree of change was considerably lower than that found in comparable trials with diagnostically homogenous samples. Overall, group CBT for heterogeneous diagnostic populations was effective but requires further investigation and refinement.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-16
Author(s):  
Iryna Romash

Introduction. It has been scientifically confirmed that the risk of developing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) increases especially with generalized or regional disruption of connective tissue structure, which is widespread among the population. Patients with such comorbid pathology may have a wide range of symptoms that may go beyond the general symptoms of heartburn and regurgitation. The symptoms and complications of GERD affect general health, daily and social functioning, physical and emotional activity. It also affects the quality of life (QoL) associated with health through frequent breaks during sleep, work and social activities. Purpose. study the dynamics of the level of quality of life and social functioning in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease in combination with the syndrome of undifferentiated connective tissue dysplasia. Methodology. A total of 120 patients were included in the study: 65 men and 55 women: in 75 of them (Group II) GERD occurred on the background of UCTD, in 45 (Group I) as an independent disease. The control group consisted of 12 healthy individuals. The study was comprehensive. The Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Status (SF-36),the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) and the scale of "Personal and social performance" (PSP) -  were used to study patients in detail. Results and Discussion. Analyzing the results obtained on the basis of the GSRS questionnaire (Table 1), in patients with GERD on the background of UCTD, compared with patients of group I and the control group, there is a significant increase in three and four from the five scales. QoL in patients of Group II on the scale "Abdominal pain" were 14.3 ± 0.4 points, in Group I - 5.6 ± 1.3 points, in the Control Group - 2.4 ± 0.8 points, on the scale "Reflux syndrome": 13.7 ± 0.9, 10.5 ± 1.3 and 3.1 ± 0.9, respectively. "Dyspeptic syndrome" - 15.3 ± 0.4 points in Group II, 12.2 ± 0.6- in Group I and 6.1 ± 0.3- in the control group. "Constipation syndrome" 9.5 ± 0.8, 5.6 ± 1.03 and 5.7 ± 0.4, respectively (p <0,05). Conclusions: In this research we investigated the effect of comorbid pathology on QoL in patients with GERD, which developed against the background of UCTD. The results confirm that patients with such combined pathology have a lower level of quality of life and social functioning, and the tactics of treatment of such patients should take into account these changes


2006 ◽  
Vol 134 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 369-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zana Stankovic ◽  
Gordana Nikolic-Balkoski ◽  
Ljubica Leposavic ◽  
Ljiljana Popovic

Introduction: Depression is the most commonly present psychiatric entity in clinical practice, accompanied by significant impairment of both social and professional functioning. In addition, depression frequently develops as complication of other psychiatric disorders and various somatic diseases. Objective: To investigate subjective perception of quality of life and social adjustment, severity of depressive symptoms as well as level of correlation of severity of depressive symptoms and quality of life and social adjustment of patients with recurrent depression in comparison to the group of patients with diabetes and healthy subjects. Method: The study included 45 subjects of both sexes, ranging from 18 to 60 years of age, divided in three groups of 15 subjects each. The experimental group comprised the patients diagnosed with recurrent depression in remission (DSM-IV), one control group was consisted of patients diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes mellitus and another one comprised healthy subjects. The instruments of assessment were: The Beck Depression Inventory- BDI, The Social Adaptation Self -evaluation scale - SASS, The Psychological General Well-Being Scale - WBQ. Results: Significant difference of both BDI and WBQ scales was found between the experimental and the control group of healthy subjects (ANOVA, Mann Whitney; p?0.01), as well as between two control groups (p?0.02). The level of inverse correlation of mean score values of BDI and SASS scales was significant in the control group of patients with diabetes while such levels of BDI and WBQ scales (Spearman correlation coefficient, p<0.01) were found in all groups of our study. Conclusion: In the group of patients with recurrent depression, significant decline of quality of life and significantly higher severity of depressive symptoms were present in comparison to the group of healthy subjects as well as significant level of inverse correlation of severity of depressive symptoms and quality of life.


Author(s):  
Francisco Javier Amarilla-Donoso ◽  
Raúl Roncero-Martín ◽  
Jesus Lavado-García ◽  
María de la Luz Canal-Macías ◽  
María Pedrera-Canal ◽  
...  

The objective of this study was to determine the impact of a postoperative educational intervention program on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with hip fracture using a controlled clinical trial in a randomized, multicenter study. In total, 102 patients (45.5%) from trauma units at the two University Hospitals of the province of Cáceres received the educational program, whereas 122 (54.5%) did not. Patients were consecutively included in either an intervention or a control group. Patients from the intervention group received an educational program during admission and the postoperative period. Patients from the control group did not receive any educational program. These patients were managed according to routine protocols. The patients were predominantly female (76.3%), aged 84.6 years (SD 6.1). All dimensions in both groups at 12 months showed a significant decrease with respect to baseline, except for bodily pain in both groups (p = 0.447; p = 0.827) and social functioning in the intervention group (p = 0.268). Patients receiving the educational program showed higher levels in the dimensions of the Mental Component Summary (MCS-12) (p = 0.043), vitality (p = 0.010), and social functioning (p < 0.001), as well as in the dimensions of the SF-12 health survey questionnaire of HRQoL 12 months after surgery. In conclusion, our study of the intervention group showed that there were significant improvements in MCS-12, vitality, and social function dimensions compared to the control group.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tianye Hu ◽  
Hantong Hu ◽  
Feng Chen ◽  
Bin Jiang ◽  
Fengfei Shen ◽  
...  

Introduction: With a high incidence rate and low diagnosis rate, vestibular migraine (VM) can seriously affect the quality of life of patients, but it remains difficult to manage by current treatment options. Acupuncture may be a potential treatment option for VM prophylaxis, but the currently available evidence is still uncertain. Therefore, this trial aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for VM prophylaxis.Methods: This is a 28-week parallel, randomized, controlled clinical trial including 4 weeks of baseline, 8 weeks of treatment, and 16 weeks of follow-up. A total of 72 participants will be randomly assigned to two groups. The participants will receive acupuncture in the experimental group, while the participants in the control group will be treated with venlafaxine. The primary outcome measures are change in vertigo/migraine days and vertigo/migraine attacks, vertigo severity, and migraine intensity per 4 weeks from baseline. The secondary outcome measures are change in doses of rescue medication, anxiety level, depression level, and quality of life per 4 weeks from baseline. Adverse events will be recorded for safety evaluation.Discussion: This study will investigate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for VM prophylaxis. The results will contribute to determining whether acupuncture can serve as an optional treatment strategy for treating VM.Clinical Trial Registration:www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT0464088.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriela Markova ◽  
Lukas Houdek ◽  
Zuzana Kocabova

In the present study we examined the positive effects of a healthcare clown intervention on children undergoing surgeries, and the role parent-child relationships may play in their effectiveness. Children between 5 and 12 years, who were scheduled to undergo elective surgical procedures in a large university hospital, were randomly assigned to an intervention group (IG; n = 35) that was visited by a healthcare clown, and a control group (CG; n = 27) that received treatment as usual (i.e., company of parents before the surgery). Children in both groups were videotaped and the videos were later used to rate their activity, arousal, emotional expressivity, and vocalizations. Additionally, children and parents rated their mood and perceived quality of life at several points during the procedure, and parents reported their perceptions of the relationship with their children. Results showed that children in the IG showed more positive emotions and vocalizations than children in the CG. Parents of children in the IG also reported more positive mood than parents of children in the CG. In contrast, children in the CG reported higher quality of life than children in the IG. Importantly, analyses showed considerable effects of the parent-child relationship on all outcome measures. Results of the present study demonstrate that a healthcare clown intervention had some positive effects on behaviors and mood of hospitalized children and their parents. Importantly, our findings also suggest that we need to consider the pre-existing “relationship microcosmos” that the clowns enter when assessing their effectiveness in the hospital.


2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-185
Author(s):  
Branko Ristić ◽  
Borjanka Batinić

Introduction: Perception of emotions is an important aspect of social functioning and the quality of life, and its deficit has been consistently found in people with schizophrenia. Aim: To obtain better understanding of the relationship and predictability between the perception of emotions, social functioning and the quality of life in people with schizophrenia. Method: The sample comprised 64 respondents (the clinical and the control group consisting of 32 subjects each, equal in terms of gender, age and education). Perception of emotions was measured using the test of speed and accuracy of perception of facial expression, while social functioning and the quality of life were measured via self-assessment questionnaires. The research was exploratory and non-experimental correlational. Results: In both the clinical and control groups, the perception of emotions is positively correlated with social functioning and the quality of life. Still, the direction of predictivity remains unclear due to the complexity of relationships. Compared to the control group, there was a deficit in the domains of perception of emotional expression, social functioning and the quality of life in the clinical group. The deficit in the perception of emotions in patients with schizophrenia is global and affects all emotions, while it is most pronounced when it comes to the emotions of surprise and anger. Conclusions: The obtained findings indicate that the understanding of the lack of functioning in people with schizophrenia should be sought, among other things, in the relation between the perception of emotions, social functioning and the quality of life in order to gain a better insight into choosing the proper line of treatment with the aim of improving the overall well-being of the patients.


Author(s):  
Simon Høegmark ◽  
Tonny Elmose Andersen ◽  
Patrik Grahn ◽  
Kirsten Kaya Roessler

Many men have poor mental health and need help to recover. However, designing a rehabilitation intervention that appeals to men is challenging. This study protocol aims to describe the ‘Wildman Programme’, which will be a nature-based rehabilitation programme for men on long-term sick leave due to health problems such as stress, anxiety, depression, post-cancer and chronic cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cardiovascular disease, or diabetes type II. The programme will be a nature-based rehabilitation initiative combining nature experiences, attention training, body awareness training, and supporting community spirit. The aim of the study will be to examine whether the ‘Wildman Programme’ can help to increase quality of life and reduce stress among men with health problems compared to treatment as usual. The study will be a matched control study where an intervention group (number of respondents, N = 52) participating in a 12-week nature-based intervention will be compared to a control group (N = 52) receiving treatment as usual. Outcomes are measured at baseline (T1), post-treatment (T2), and at follow up 6 months post-intervention (T3). The results of this study will be important to state whether the method in the ‘Wildman Programme’ can be implemented as a rehabilitation offer in the Danish Healthcare System to help men with different health problems.


2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 452-458
Author(s):  
Birgitta Ojala ◽  
Clas-Håkan Nygård ◽  
Heini Huhtala ◽  
Seppo T. Nikkari

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of vocationally outpatient oriented rehabilitation on an intervention group, compared with a control group that did not take part in the intervention. The groups were compared for health-related quality of life (HRQoL) by the quantitative indicator RAND 36. Data were obtained by a self-report at baseline and at nine months follow-up. Differences between base-line and follow-up were analyzed within group and between the groups. The study population consisted of 751 municipal employees aged between 26 and 64 years; an intervention with 463 women and 115 men ( n = 578), and a control group with 138 women and 35 men ( n = 173). In this study we focused on those who had answered to all questions in RAND 36, thus 581 remained. Of these, 388 were in the intervention group (mean age 49.0 years) and 110 in the control group (mean age 48.4 years). Intervention was based on cognitive behavioral therapy. Participants in the 9-month outpatient intervention group showed statistically significant increase in all eight RAND 36 areas. Most improvement was seen in the psychosocial functioning index ( p = 0.002). Although there were no statistically significant changes in RAND 36 components in the control group, difference in changes between groups were seen in energy and fatigue ( p < 0.001), social functioning ( p = 0.032) and general health perceptions 0.027 in favor of the intervention group. The results suggest that a cognitive behavioral intervention as an early rehabilitation program is effective in increasing employees’ quality of life, as measured by RAND 36.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Anton Käll ◽  
Malin Bäck ◽  
Camilla Welin ◽  
Hanna Åman ◽  
Rasmus Bjerkander ◽  
...  

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Chronic loneliness has been linked to many adverse outcomes, including mental health problems. Psychological treatment of loneliness can be effective, but the evidence base is limited. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> To investigate the efficacy of 2 internet-based interventions based on cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) and interpersonal psychotherapy (IIPT) relative to a wait-list control group and each other. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> A total of 170 participants were recruited and randomized to either 9 weeks of ICBT (<i>n</i> = 68), IIPT (<i>n</i> = 68), or a wait-list condition (<i>n</i> = 34). The primary outcome was loneliness, measured using the UCLA Loneliness Scale before, during, and after treatment. Secondary measures of psychiatric disorders and quality of life were administered before and after treatment. Follow-up was conducted 4 months after the treatment had ended. Primary outcome data were analyzed using growth curve modeling. Secondary outcomes were analyzed using robust regression models. The trial was preregistered (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03807154). <b><i>Results:</i></b> The ICBT condition had a significantly greater impact on loneliness compared to the wait-list and IIPT conditions. Effect sizes were moderate to large (Cohen <i>d</i> = 0.71) compared to the wait-list and moderate (<i>d</i> = 0.53) compared to IIPT. The IIPT condition did not differ significantly from the wait-list. Both active treatments led to significant increases in quality of life. Only the ICBT group had significantly lower symptoms of depression and generalized anxiety compared to the wait-list group. Treatment gains were maintained but not improved at follow-up. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> ICBT can be an efficacious option for alleviating loneliness. The IIPT intervention was not as effective.


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