Social Identities of Persons With Schizophrenia and Social Functioning: Individual and Family Caregiver Perspectives.

ABSTRACT: We apply social identity theory and self-categorization theory to examine the role of social identities in relation to the recovery of persons with schizophrenia. We assess whether illness-based and non-illness-based identities held by both those with schizophrenia and their caregivers explain additional variance in social functioning in persons with schizophrenia beyond the previously established predictors of negative symptoms and theory of mind. Sixty Mexican-origin adults diagnosed with schizophrenia and their family caregivers were obtained through an outpatient mental health clinic located in either Los Angeles, CA, or in Puebla, Mexico. A three-step hierarchical regression indicated that identity endorsements, from both the perspective of the person with schizophrenia and their caregiver, and negative symptomatology are significant independent predictors of social functioning. Specifically, greater endorsement of nonillness identities both for the person with schizophrenia and also their caregiver is associated with higher social functioning. Illness identity plays an important role in the path to recovery.

Towards the sustainability of information campaigns: training Promotores to increase the psychosis literacy of Spanish-speaking communities.

PURPOSE: To assess the acceptability and efficacy of training community health workers (promotores) in Mexico to both recognize psychosis and to teach others to recognize psychosis. METHODS: Two studies were carried out utilizing a single-group design. In Study 1, promotores watched a DVD-based psychosis literacy training. In Study 2, promotores were trained to administer a flip-chart version of the program and they then administered it to community residents. RESULTS: Significant increases in the post-training assessment of psychosis literacy were observed. CONCLUSION: Promotores can be an important resource in identifying psychosis early and enhancing the sustainability of psychosis literacy information campaigns.

Measurement of problems in activities and participation in patients with anxiety, depression and schizophrenia using the ICF checklist.

BACKGROUND: Although disability in persons with anxiety and depression disorders has been measured, the problem with some studies is that they use tools that measure the state of health, when the subjective nature of the measuring system does not permit the exact measurement of disability. The ICF Checklist provides a new paradigm for measuring disability that focuses more on the consequences than on the illness itself. The objective of this study is to compare the problems in Activities and Participation observed in patients with anxiety, depressive, and schizophrenic disorders, using the ICF Checklist. METHODS: The ICF Checklist was administered to 72 patients with anxiety or depressive disorders and 28 patients with schizophrenia. They were diagnosed in accordance with the criteria of the ICD-10. Chi-square analysis was carried out to determine the differences between the groups studied with respect to the Activities and Participation scales of the ICF Checklist and the nominal data of the socio-demographic variables. RESULTS: The group with anxiety-depression had a higher percentage of patients with problems preparing meals (30.6%) and achieving intimate relationships (59.7%) than did the patients with schizophrenia. The group with schizophrenia had a higher percentage of patients who had problems watching (39.3%), listening (42.9%), undertaking a single task (60.7%), communicating, fine hand use (57.1%), using transportation (64.3%), and caring for body parts (67.9%), among others. CONCLUSIONS: The ICF Checklist permits comparison of the impact mental disorders have on patients. It provides a more appropriate way of evaluating these illnesses in relation to others, considering not only the question of mortality but also the years lived with disability due to illness.