Effects of an Emotion Management Nursing Program for Patients With Schizophrenia

Purpose: This study was to develop and examine the effects of an emotion management nursing program for schizophrenic patients. Methods: Fifty-two patients diagnosed as schizophrenia participated were recruited from community mental health facilities in Seoul, Korea. The experimental group received the Emotion Management Nursing Program for 90 minutes each week for total of 8 weeks. The data were collected from both from the experimental (n=22) and control groups (n=30). The research instruments were the Berkeley Expressivity Scale, an Emotional Behavior Scale, the Relationships Change scale, and Social Behavior Scale. Results: The experimental group showed a significant difference in emotional expression scores (t=3.267, P=.002), emotional behavior scores (F=61.65, P=.000), interpersonal relationship scores (t=4.012, P=.000), social behavior scores (t=-8.694, P=.000) than those in the control group. Conclusions: The Emotion Management Nursing Program had positive influences on emotional management for schizophrenic patients, helping nurses to provide efficient evidence-based nursing care to the patients through the program. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.