Effectiveness of Family Therapy Based on the Satir Model in Family of Patients with Schizophrenia
Nawanant Piyavhatkul MD*, Suwanna Arunpongpaisal MD*, Niramol Patjanasoontorn MD*, Somchit Rongbutsri MEd*, Somchit Maneeganondh BSc*, Wijitra Pimpanit BSc*
Affiliation : * Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
Objective : To compare the effectiveness of family therapy based on the Satir model vs. family psychoeducation on family
function, self-esteem, and depressive symptoms in family members (including the patient), and the social functioning and
severity of symptoms in patients with schizophrenia.
Material and Method: A randomized control trial was conducted. The authors recruited 13 families to a family therapy
group and 11 to psychoeducation group. Each group received six sessions of intervention. The effectiveness of the interventions
was assessed using the Chulalongkorn Family Inventory, the Clinical Global Impression Severity Scale (CGI-S), the Personal
and Social Performance Scale-Thai version, the Self-esteem visual analog scale (SVAS), the Rosenberg Self Esteem
Scale-Thai version (RSES-T), and the KKU-Depression Inventory. The effectiveness of each intervention was measured
four times: a) baseline, b) one month after the fourth session (the third month), c) one month after the last session (the
fifth month), and d) one year after the last session (the sixteenth month).
Results : Both interventions helped to improve the perception of family functioning, self-esteem, and depressive symptoms
among family members, and decreased the severity of symptoms and improved social functioning in patients with
schizophrenia. The family therapy group had more significant results on the improvements of the SVAS, the RSES-T, and
the CGI-S score.
Conclusion : Both interventions produced positive results in almost all of the follow-up measurements, but the family therapy
group had more significant results, particularly with respect to self-esteem scores.
Keywords : Satir, Family therapy, Family function, Depression, Schizophrenia, Self-esteem
