Self-Management Strategies among Patients with Schizophrenia: A Literature Review

Abstract

Self-management has become a pillar for the individuals with schizophrenia to enhance their self-care ability to maintain both physical and mental health in their recovery process. This paper seeks to critically review the strategies in self-management among patients with schizophrenia. The literature was identified through data bases for the years between 2002-2012. The preliminary search of the literature was conducted by using the following terms: self-management (symptom management, medication management, role management, emotional management), schizophrenia and mental illness. Twenty-four studies were identified with a large heterogeneity in the strategies, duration and outcome variables. Interventions that offered more sessions during a longer period of time and especially those with a continues follow-up seen most likely to be succesfull as well as interventions which included family members. In addition, some studies in self-management program showed a significant outcomes such as a sense of a well-being or quality of life including hopefulness and recovery from the illness. This review provides greater exploration of the self-management strategies with several significant outcomes for the patients with schizophrenia. Keywords: mental illness, schizophrenia, self-management