Effect of psycho-education on self-esteem of psychiatric patients

The most basic task for one’s mental, emotional, and social health, which begins in infancy and continues until one die, is the construction of his or her positive self-esteem. A quasi experimental study was conducted to assess the effect of psycho-education on self-esteem of psychiatric patients attending psychiatric setting in CMC and H and DMC and H, Ludhiana. Data was collected from 40 psychiatric patients (i.e., 20 in control group and 20 in experimental group). Level of self esteem was assessed by using Rosenberg self-esteem scale in the month of November and December, 2009. Findings revealed that level of self-esteem of psychiatric patients was low. Structured psycho education on the different aspects like, cognition/insight, self-worth, problem solving, assertiveness, and negative thoughts were given to the experimental group. Post test self esteem of the experimental group was assessed and found significantly raised.
Objectives:  
1.    To assess and compare the pre-test and post test self-esteem of psychiatric patients among control and experimental group.
2.    To find out relationship of pre-test and post-test self-esteem among psychiatric patients with selected variables like age, gender, education, types of illness, duration of illness and duration of hospitalization among control and experimental group.
Materials and Methods
The study was conducted in psychiatric OPD and ward of Christian Medical College and Hospital and Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, Punjab. 40 psychiatric patients were taken through purposive sampling technique. Five areas were covered under psycho-education to assess the effect on the self-esteem of the psychiatric patients of experimental group.
Results
Maximum number of psychiatric patients in both control and experimental group had moderate level of self-esteem (80%, 75%) respectively. Hence, patients with psychiatric illness had some impact on their self-esteem witch indirectly represented low self-esteem. Maximum post-test self-esteem score in control group was moderate (90%) and high (5%) as compared to experimental group self-esteem score was moderate (80%) and high (20%).Hence it is concluded that most of the psychiatric patients of both experimental and control group have low self-esteem and there was an effect of psycho-education on self-esteem in experimental group as the subjects from the low level of self-esteem moved towards moderate and high self-esteem level after psycho-education in experimental group.
Conclusion: Psycho-education was effective in improving knowledge as well as self-esteem of psychiatric patients. Variables i.e., age, gender, education, type of illness, duration of illness and duration of hospitalization had no impact on level of self-esteem of psychiatric patients.