Does Telephone Based Intervention Combined with Face to Face Contact Improve Socio-Occupational Functioning of Persons with Schizophrenia? A Retrospective Chart Review

Psychosocial rehabilitation (PSR) interventions help individuals with schizophrenia and severe mental disorders learn/relearn skills to deal with social and occupational difficulties. Some patients cannot engage in face-to-face sessions for all intervention sessions due to factors like distance, time and cost. Hence, the study aimed to assess the effectiveness of additional contact through telephonic sessions on social and occupational functioning among persons with schizophrenia receiving face-to-face psychosocial interventions. Case records of patients in the PSR (psychosocial rehabilitation) program who received either weekly face-to-face interventions (n = 40) or a combination of monthly face to face with interim weekly telephonically delivered sessions (n = 43) were selected. Baseline and 6 months data on socio-demographic and SOFS scores were retrieved. The reasons for adding telephonic intervention were the distance from home (46.5%), financial constraints (23.3%), lack of motivation (13.9%) and lack of family support to attend sessions (16.3%). At baseline, there were no differences between the two groups in their socio-demographic profiles. There was a significant reduction in the SOFS scores at 6-months in both groups compared to baseline but no difference between the two groups. Combining regular telephonic interventions to face-to-face PSR sessions is as effective as more frequent face-to-face only interventions to those patients who cannot attend for interventions in person. Further research needs to examine the effectiveness of the adjunct telephone interventions using a more robust study design.