Experienced and Perceived Stress in Females With Schizophrenia and Healthy Subjects

Background: Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder characterized by chronic disturbances of thought and perception. Objectives: The current study aimed to compare perceived stress in females with schizophrenia and that of healthy people. Patients and Methods: The study sample included 50 patients with schizophrenia in Tuba rehabilitation center in Ardabil selected by available sampling method. Healthy group participants were selected through cloning by age, gender and marital status of the patient group. The data were collected by the questionnaire of Holmes-Rahe scale and Cohen et al. Data were analyzed by multivariate ANOVA (MANOVA) using SPSS software. Results: Compared with the normal subjects, patients with schizophrenia had a higher mean score in negative perceived and experienced stresses, but had a lower mean score in positive perceived stress as well as in total perceived stress. Conclusions: Results showed the levels of perceived stress and negative stress play important role in the creation and maintenance of schizophrenia. Keywords: Schizophrenia, Stress, Perceived Stress, Experienced Stress, Female