A Study of Social Support Network in the Course of Schizophrenic Patients

정신분열병(精祥分裂病) 환자(患者)의 사회적(社會的) 지지망(支持網) 분석(分析)

This study was designed to evaluate the social support network of schizophrenic patients. 64 schizophrenic patients being treated as out-door patient were compared with 30 neurotic control patients. Schizophrenics were divided into positive, subpositive, subnegative and negative subgroups by present symptom and social network of both schizophrenics and control group were evaluated. The results are as follows: 1) Social network of schizophrenics was smaller than that of control group. Size of social network of schizophrenics was 10.6 and that of control group was 23.5. 2) In both kin and nonkin, social network of schizophrenics was smaller than that of control group. Of the kin, schizophrenics were more supported by wife or husband, father, and mother, but were less supported by brother, son and other relatives. 3) There was no difference in the kin or nonkin or total supporters between the four subgroups of schizophrenics. But, subgroup of schizophrenics which was divided as having negative symptom had smaller network than control group in active formal and informal supporters. 4) When divided into 4 support areas, schizophrenics was remarkably less supported in emotional, instrumental and appraisal support area than control group, but there was no difference in the informational support areas. 5) Compared with control group, schizophrenics more often mentioned parent and ten often mentioned nonkin supporter as the one that is most important to him. 6) Schizophrenics had smaller cluster and less leisure activity than control group. Subgroup of schizophrenics who was divided as having negative symptom had less frequency of leisure activity than other subgroups.