Group art therapy effect on patients with schizophrenia

Tasks: 1. Evaluate the patients with schizophrenic changes of positive and negative symptoms in group art therapy process and compare with the control group. 2. Evaluate the patients with schizophrenia anxiety and depression change in a process of group art therapy and compared with the control group. 3. Evaluate common functioning of the patients with schizophrenia changes in the group art therapy process and compared with the control group. 4. Evaluate co-operation changes of patients with schizophrenia during treatment in the group art therapy process and compared with the control group. The study was carried out in three stages. During the Ist stage were interviewed 105 patients with schizophrenia of which 9 rejected to participate in a research, 15 did not match survey criterion, 83 agreed to participate in further stages of the study. During the survey were assessed: sociodemographic readings, negative and positive symptoms (positive SAPS and negative (SANS) symptoms scales), common functioning (common functioning scale (BVVS)), anxiety and depression (anxiety and depression scale (HAD)), co-operation during the treatment (pharmaceuticals evaluation scale (VVVS)). During the IInd stage 40 patients chose the standard treatment (control group), 43 patients agreed to combine the standard treatment and art therapy (observational group). Observational every second day participated in a 12 private art therapy sessions (8 participants per one group). Art therapy sessions were orientated to recognition and expression of emotion, exercise of co-operation, amplification of motivation and inner resources search. During the research part of observational rejected to continue the art therapy (N=7), part of observational left stationary during treatment period (N=4). During the IIIrd stage both observational group were assessed on the same scales again. Survey result showed, that after the group art therapy patients characterized by less common negative symptoms and its components: expressed less emotional dimness / stupidity, apathy, anhedonia-asocial and characterized by a better concentration of attention and less expressed common positive symptoms and its components: less expressed hallucinations, delusions, thought disorder symptoms, compared to the control group of patients who did not participate in group art therapy. It was found that, in patients with schizophrenia who participated in the group art therapy significantly decreased expression of anxiety and depression than patients who did not participate in the group art therapy. Also was found that after the group art therapy for patients of observational group significantly ameliorated common functioning than patients who did not participate in the group art therapy. Furthermore it was found that patients with schizophrenia who participated in the group art therapy significantly ameliorated co-operation during course of treatment than patients who did not participate in the group art therapy