Effectiveness of vocational therapy on psychotic symptoms of patients with schizophrenia

Ahmed Jumaa, Iman; Shlaibah Humaidi, Naamah

doi:10.52573/ipmj.2025.159474

	Effectiveness of vocational therapy on psychotic symptoms of patients with schizophrenia
Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal
Volume 25, Issue 3, July 2026, Pages 255-263 PDF (839.08 K)
Document Type: Research Paper
DOI: 10.52573/ipmj.2025.159474
Authors
Iman Ahmed Jumaa^* ¹; Naamah Shlaibah Humaidi²
¹Iraqi board fellowship
²Al-Rashad Training Hospital
Abstract
Abstract Background: Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder often resulting in significant functional impairment. While antipsychotic medications are the cornerstone of treatment, complementary therapies are needed to address residual symptoms and improve functional outcomes. Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of adding a structured vocational therapy program to standard drug therapy in patients with schizophrenia. Materials and Methods: A prospective was conducted with 100 inpatients at Al-Rashad Hospital. Participants were divided into two cohorts: an intervention cohort (n=50) that received vocational therapy plus drug therapy and a control cohort (n=50) that received drug therapy alone. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used to assess symptoms at baseline and after three months, via Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to compare the post-intervention PANSS scores between the two groups. Results: The vocational therapy group showed significantly greater improvement in PANSS scores compared to the control group. The adjusted mean difference in the total PANSS score change was -13.6 points (95% CI: -16.9 to -10.3; p < 0.001; ηp² = 0.35), indicating a large effect size. Significant between-group differences were also found for the negative subscale (mean difference: -4.2 points, p < 0.001) and the general psychopathology subscale (mean difference: -6.1 points, p < 0.001). A 20% reduction in PANSS scores, considered clinically significant, was achieved by 78% of the vocational therapy group versus 32% of the control group (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The addition of a three-month vocational therapy program to standard drug therapy leads to statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in both positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. These findings support the integration of vocational therapy as a complementary treatment to enhance recovery.
Keywords
Schizophrenia; Vocational Therapy; Psychotic Symptoms; Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS); and Antipsychotic Drugs

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