Prototype development: empowerment program on internalized stigma for schizophrenic inpatients

Abstract

Objective  To develop the prototype of empowerment program on internalized stigma of schizophrenic inpatients and to evaluate the program.  

Materials and methods Divided into two stages: Developing the prototype of empowerment program on internalized stigma for schizophrenic inpatients based on the Department of Mental Health’s innovative knowledge and technology research and development standard for nurses experiencing in group activities and evaluating samples of two schizophrenic inpatients groups-experimental group and treatment as usual (TAU) group-at Somdet Chaopraya Institute of Psychiatry. Each random-selected group composed of 20 subjects classified by match pair design according to sex and brief psychotic rating scales. T-test was used to compare stigma scores.     

Results  The prototype of empowerment program on internalized stigma for schizophrenic inpatients including a four-stage group activity conducted four times twice a week was used as a manual for experienced nurses in order to do a self study. The program was proceeded with the schizophrenic inpatients at the average age of 38.2(9.5), whose illness duration occurred less than five years and experienced in educational discrimination in finding the institution approximately 82 percent. The internalized stigma score was significantly reduced after the end of empowerment program.

Conclusion The prototype of the empowerment program was group activities enhancing power of schizophrenic inpatients. The program was effective in reducing internalized stigma and could conducted by the nurses experiencing in group activities. The program can be applied in psychiatric hospitals under the Department of Mental Health.