The effects of social skills training in reducing behavioral indicators of anxiety in adult male schizophrenics

摘要

The purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which social skills training was effective in reducing anxiety in male mental health clients diagnosed with schizophrenia. This study is important because it attempts to fill the current literature gap regarding treatment interventions for males diagnosed with schizophrenia. The study consisted of fifty adult male patients (N=50) between the ages of 18-55 with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. To test the effectiveness of social skills training, the participants were systematically random selected and placed in one of two groups. Group one (the control group) consisted of twenty-five males diagnosed with schizophrenia. Group two (the experimental group) consisted of twenty-five males diagnosed with schizophrenia. The experimental group received the treatment intervention of social skills training while the participants from the control group received nothing. Anxiety was measured through specific behaviors and direct behavior observation was used to collect information on the behaviors. Results of the T-test analysis revealed that there were statistically significant differences between the experimental and control group at posttest phase. Those in the experimental group showed more significant reduction on anxiety than the controls, indicating that social skills training was effective in reducing anxiety. Implications for future research and social work practice also are discussed.