Impact of the Problem on the Patient
One of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia is the social isolation of patients and the avoidance of interaction with other people. The use of group therapy could help solve this problem. However, the symptom sets certain restrictions on the use of this method of therapy for patients.
Impact of the Problem on the Organization
The use of group therapy for schizophrenic patients would help reduce the burden on nurses and other hospital staff. Individual therapy requires more time and effort. On the other hand, the use of group therapy can facilitate the treatment of several patients at once.
Identify the PICO components
- P – patients with schizophrenia.
- I – group therapy.
- C – individual therapy.
- O – solving the problems of socialization, reducing the manifestations of social isolation of patients.
Evidence Based Practice Question
Is group therapy an effective way of socialization for patients with schizophrenia?
Research Article
Background Introduction
Social isolation is one of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Avoidance of other people can lead to a worsening of the patient’s condition, so the solution of socialization problems is a necessity. One such solution could be Group Activity Therapy, but sometimes its results can be unpredictable, as it can lead to both an increase and a decrease in the patient’s social interactions.
Methodology
The study used a one-group pre-post test to determine the change in social isolation levels before and after group therapy.
Level of Evidence
Level I of evidence because the study is experimental.
Data Analysis
Pardede and Ramadia (2021) conducted pre and post group therapy tests on schizophrenic patients. Due to this, it was possible to show the dynamics of changes in the possibility of interaction with patients.
Ethical Considerations
The article received ethical approval “from the ethical committee of institute: Sari Mutiara Indonesia University” (Pardede & Ramadia, 2021, p.10). The study maintains participants’ confidentiality and partial anonymity by not revealing their identity but only by providing information necessary for the study, such as age, gender, education, and marital status. However, the authors do not indicate whether participation was voluntary or whether they obtained patient consent.
Quality Rating
The study has fairly consistent results, analysis of the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the authors, so the article is of good quality.
Analysis of the Results / Conclusions
The authors of the article concluded that the use of group therapy is a good method for developing communication skills in patients with schizophrenia. The test results showed significant changes in “the ability to interact with schizophrenia patients before and after being given socialization group activity therapy” (Pardede & Ramadia, 2021, p.10). However, this method may still not be the best treatment option for all patients.
Non-Research Article
Background Introduction
Schizophrenia is a fairly common chronic disease that can have different symptoms. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to summarize all available information that can be used to detect, evaluate, and treat schizophrenia.
Type of Evidence
The article is a review and clinical guide for diagnosing, assessing, and treating schizophrenia. However, the article contains literature review, which gives it the characteristics of the fifth level of evidence.
Level of Evidence
The article has the fourth level of evidence because it is a clinical guide provided by experts in the field.
Quality Rating
The article has a good quality since it has consistent presentation of information, a clear conclusion, and recommendations based on literature review.
Authors’ Recommendations
The authors note that the use of group therapy may be one of the possible ways to get rid of asociality of schizophrenic patients. However, Correll and Schooler (2020) say that this therapy is not the most effective and can only be used in conjunction with other treatments. Therefore, the treatment plan for each patient must be developed on an individual basis, depending on the symptoms and the condition of the person.
Recommended Practice Change
Based on the analyzed information, it is possible to recommend using group therapy to improve the socialization of patients with schizophrenia. Pardede and Ramadia’s (2021) research shows a significant difference between the ability to interact with patients with schizophrenia “before being given social group activity therapy and the ability to interact after being given social group activity therapy” (p.9). At the same time, the Group Activity Therapy program and the possibility of using it should be tailored to the needs of each patient. According to Correll and Schooler (2020), what is optimal for patients is “treatment that combines environmental support, CBT, skills training, and other psychosocial modalities,” including group therapy (p.529). However, the authors talk more about the influence of family members and the patient’s environment on the development of social skills.
Key Stakeholders
Key stakeholders for this practice change are schizophrenic patients, their families, and hospital staff. Psychotherapists and nurses should promote the use of group therapy for schizophrenic patients. In addition, this therapy may involve family members to create a more comfortable environment for patients through interaction with people they know.
Barrier to Implementation
The main barrier to implementation is the inability to predict with absolute certainty how effective group therapy will be as a therapy, since this depends on the individual characteristics of the patient’s condition.
Strategy to Overcome the Implementation Barrier
This barrier can be overcome by observing the patient and compiling a detailed description of him in order to determine whether group therapy can be used in each specific case.
Indicator to Measure the Outcome
An indicator to measure the outcome can be an increase in the emotional intelligence of patients with schizophrenia and a decrease in the manifestations of social isolation. The evaluation of the results is possible through surveys among medical professionals and families of patients regarding changes in the quality of interaction with patients after group therapy.
References
Correll, C. U., & Schooler, N. R. (2020). Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia: A Review and Clinical Guide for Recognition, Assessment, and Treatment. Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment, 16, 519-534. Web.
Pardede, J. A., & Ramadia, A. (2021). The Ability to Interact With Schizophrenic Patients through Socialization Group Activity Therapy. International Journal, 9(1), 6-11. Web.