THE EFFECT OF GROUP SUPPORTIVE PSYCHOTHERAPY PROGRAM ON DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN PRIESTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA

Abstract

Purpose: To compare the depressive symptom in priest with schizophrenia before and after receiving the group supportive psychotherapy.

Design: Quasi–Experimental Research, one-group time series design

Methods: The research samples consisted of fifteen priests with schizophrenia who received services in the outpatient department, Priest Hospital, who met the inclusion criteria in one group. This group received the group supportive psychotherapy program for 6 weeks. Research instruments were: 1) The group supportive psychotherapy program 2) The Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia 3) Thai Interpersonal Questionnaire. All the instruments were validated for content validity, The Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia and Thai Interpersonal Questionnaire, their CVI were 0.84 and 0.90, respectively. The Chronbach’s alpha coefficient reliability were 0.92 and 0.94 respectively. The Repeated Measures ANOVA was used in data analysis.

Result: The depressive symptom in priests with schizophrenia who received the group supportive psychotherapy program was significantly lower than before, at the 0.05 level.                                                                                                               Conclusion: The result of this study supports the group supportive psychotherapy can decrease depressive symptom in priests with schizophrenia.